


Trust Me, Love

by annetheseamaiden



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-05
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-07 14:27:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 26,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1902441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annetheseamaiden/pseuds/annetheseamaiden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What was worst for Anne that the walk of shame, was seeing him again at campus, the next day at university. It was a stupid idea. She was well aware of that. </p><p>http://annetheseamaiden.tumblr.com</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She was sitting in the cafeteria with her sister and best friend. She could hear his laughter across the hall. He was a third of the York Brothers. He was the baby York brother, yet Anne knew that he was far from being a baby. She would generally be boasting to her sister of her latest liaison, but not about this one.  
“Here comes George and his brothers!” Veronique said to Isabel, who had been dating him now for a month.  
“I got to go.” Anne gasped, “I have a lecture.”  
“No, we dont.” Veronique said as she opened her yogurt.  
“I have to talk to Professor Mercer. He mistakenly– get off me!” Anne jumped when she felt a pair of hands rest in her shoulders.  
That was not what you wanted last night though, Richard York thought, but instead, he just plainly said, “Sorry.”  
That voice. That husky voice moaned her name last night in the utility room.  
“Someone is a little jumpy.” George York said.  
“She had a study group last night.” Isabel said, “My sister is a hard worker.”  
That made Richard snigger.  
“Where are you going?” Veronique asked when Anne closed her binder.  
“Stay for a moment.” Isabel said.  
“Why?”  
“Because you are my sister.”  
“I have to talk to Mercer.”  
A white lie never killed anyone.  
“You don’t have Mercer today, Anne. It’s Tuesday, not Wednesday.” Isabel clarified, “So, remember Ned saying that he wanted to do something fun for his last college Spring Break?”  
Anne shook her head.  
“I was not there when he said that. Therefore, I am out of here.”  
“What did you do yesterday that made you so jumpy?” Richard asked. Yesterday morning, she would have confused those eyes with plain curiosity, but after last night tumble with him, she could identify that the shimmer in his eyes were not of curiosity, instead that they were of plain teasing.  
“Nothing. It was a night like any other. Boring night” Anne said tilting her head, looking straight at his eyes, hoping that her words would make him back off.  
“Are all your nights sleepless then?” Richard asked.  
“What do you mean?” Anne said.  
“You tend to be on a snappy mode when you do not sleep.”  
“How do you know that?” George asked.  
“I have two early morning classes with Little Miss Sunshine here. If the professor asks her something, she’s like this, but if the class is silent, you can hear her snore sometimes.”  
“Screw you!” Anne said standing up from the table, as she reached for her Philosphy textbook, which was so heavy that it slipped form her hands.  
“You should try the E-version next semester.” Richard said.  
“Go to hell.” Anne said before walking away, making George look at his brother.  
“Really?” Isabel asked.  
“Because of your little sister, I am sure I flunked this morning’s test.”  
“What did she do? Block the view to her exam?”  
It was funny because she did do that earlier during the exam, but the reality was that they went to the library the night before, and ended up having sex in the utility room  
“Yes.  
________________________________________________________________

“What was it this morning?” Isabel asked her sister during the end of the day.  
“I did not studied a lot last night. I believe I failed the test.”  
“Who were you studying with?”  
“Some arrogant idiot.”  
“Is there something going on with Richard, Anne?” Isabel asked.  
“Richard who?” Anne asked.  
“York. Funny Eyes?”  
“That ass?” Anne asked  
“He does have a nice ass though.”  
"Ew! I am not interested in that.”  
“Hey.” Veronique said when she entered the room.  
“Richard York is asking for you downstairs.”  
“Are you sure there is nothing going on between Funny Eyes and you Annie?”  
“Shut it. Shut up!" Anne snapped at Isabel and Veronique.  
"Why are you so snappy then?"Vero asked.  
"There is nothing going on  between Funny Eyes and me." Anne sighed, "Trust me. He is just . . . he just gets on my nerves sometimes."  
“Then what is it?” Isabel asked.  
“I think I should have studied more instead of indulging myself.”  
Isabel looked at her sister skeptically.  
“Richard is waiting for you downstairs, something about wanting to know his grade on a pair project that you to did.” Veronique reminded her.  
That just shocked Anne. It was true. There was chemistry between them. He touched her, and she felt pleasure. She touched him, and he begged for more. But he was just plain annoying at times.  
“Tell him that I aced it.”

Tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

It was six in the morning, and Isabel was already making coffee. They shared their room in the dorm, which they both preferred to having a stranger around. Anne looked at her schedule and she saw that it was Thursday. Six in the morning, Thursday . . . her class was at six thirty.

“Holy crap!” 

She was really late. She stayed all night tutoring Isabel on her biology class. Anne wanted to be a heart surgeon, she wanted to be like Christina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy.

She took a late shower the night before, so she didn’t bother to take another. She grabbed the first pair of pants, and the first clean shirt that she grabbed, got dressed.

“Why the hurry?”  
“I have the Philosophy class I have been trying to avoid in exactly, twenty-five minutes.” Anne said as she grabbed her sister’s cup of coffee.  
“I told you not to take early classes. They are just horrible.”  
“I like early classes.” Anne said as she took one of the toasts from her Isabel’s plate, “I learn better.”  
“By sleeping in class?”  
“You really believe him?” Anne asked.  
“You do like to sleep in.” Isabel noted.  
“So does everyone else.” Anne said in her defense.  
“Are you coming with me tonight?”  
“To where?” Anne asked, “I have a study session tonight?”  
“With whom?”  
“My philosophy class.” Anne said rolling her eyes, “Bye.”

Anne quickly unlocked her bike and in five minutes she was in the Humanity and Arts building.

She went down to the basement, where her lecture class was. She opened her binder, and as she wrote her name and date, she felt the sensation of air in her ear, which led her to yell.

“WHAT THE HELL!”  
“Ms. Neville!” The Professor said when he entered, “That is the kind language that makes– oh Mr. York. I read your essay, and I find it really interesting.”  
“Oh thank you Professor.” Richard started, “I did put a lot of time on her when I was writing.”  
“Her?” The professor asked.  
“Yes. Essays are like women. Essays are like women. You have to–”  
“Okay, I know where are you going with it.”  
“You are pathetic.” Anne said to Richard making Richard jump from the line of chairs to where she was sitting.  
“Are you sure?” He asked her as he leaned over her.  
“Just because my sister and your brother are dating . . . don’t get your hopes up.”  
“Why should I worry when I already–   
“You say a word about it and I’ll swear that I’ll make your life in this college a living hell. I work in transcript office. I can change your GPA in two seconds.”  
“So you work in the Transcript Office . . . nice.”  
“There are fifty chairs in this auditorium.”  
“And?” Richard asked.  
“Move.”  
“Why would I move when I am sitting next to the prettiest girl in campus.”  
“Most guys says in the world.”  
“But I am not most guys.”  
“Oh trust me you are.”   
“Am I?”  
“Yes.” Anne said looking at his pants, “Tad small down there.”  
“I am not small down there.”  
“Well you don’t know how to use it.”  
“Really?It didn’t seem like that on Monday night.” Richard said as he started to moan in her ear.  
“You are a creep!” Anne said as she stood up.  
“And you are just plain gorgeous!”   
“Flattery wont get you anywhere.” Anne said.  
“I know. Insults and sarcasm seems to turn you on more than compliments.”  
“Go to hell!” Anne said.  
“Go on a date with me.”  
"I am sorry Richard, but I don't date guys who copy off my Scantrons."   
"One date. Only one, and then I swear upon my soul that I wont bother you again. Unless you want me to bother you which I'll be happy to–"

Anne interrupted him by reaching for his shoulder, leaning over to whisper in his ear, 

"You can ask Crazy Mags. You know, Margaret Beaufort? I heard she has "saint knees" if you know what I mean." Anne winked.  
"Ew!" Richard cried out loud, “That’s just disgusting. You know for a girl you have a twisted mind.”  
“Takes a sick mind to no one.” Anne said as he handed her heavy lecture book.  
“No manners?” He asked her, “I know your Dad. I am sure he raised a lady.”  
“And I know your Mother. I think that she raised you better than having sex in a library utility room.”  
“Touche!” Richard sighed in defeat, “Touche!”

 

Tell me what you think of this chapter.  
Here's a link for a gif set that I made on tumblr for this chapter.  
http://annetheseamaiden.tumblr.com/post/90895403442/i-am-sorry-richard-but-i-dont-date-guys-who#notes


	3. Chapter 3

It was a Friday night, Richard had decided to see if he could fly home with a bird, which was the only reason he went to the pub half a mile away from campus. He was looking, more like scanning all the girls in the room. Some were pretty, some were hot, some just needed his sister Meg’s help to look better. He was now on his second beer. It was only nine o’clock and well, he did not planned to go early to the place he shared with his brothers and friends since he needed to blow off some steam after the Economic test he took that day.

“See a bird that you like?” Richard asked George.  
“My bird isn’t here yet.”  
“Not a bird for you. For me.” Richard sig  
“I trust that you are old enough to get girls.” George said as he turned to his brother, “Or Ned’s tutoring and mine not given you results?”  
It worked. The technique worked, but it was getting boring to Richard.  
“It works.” Richard simply answered. He was now on his fourth beer.  
“What about her?” George asked as he ‘naturally pointed’ to a girl.  
“Freshman.”  
“Her?” George asked.  
“She’s here for Early college classes.”  
“How do you know that?” George asked.  
“There is only a reason why I am in the welcoming committee brother.”

He learned that from his brother Edward. His big brother Edward York.

“So–” Richard stopped talking when George’s phone began to rang. It was Isabel apparently. George’s voice got so low, which he always did to impress his girls.  
“-okay . . . I love you more . . . see you here . . . are you sure you do not want me to pick you up . . . Anne–” That name caught Richard’s attention.  
“Is everything okay with Isabel?” Richard asked kindly.

 

George looked at his brother skeptically. His little brother hardly ever asked that question unless it was related to their Mother and Sister.

“She’s okay. She’s just running a little bit late.”  
“Why?” Richard asked. He did not give a damn why Isabel was late. He just wanted to know why Anne’s name popped into the conversation. “Isn’t Isabel usually the first in everything?”  
“Her sister came late from a lab test and asked her to wait for her.”  
“Oh!” Richard gasped trying to remain natural even when his pale cheeks were turning red, and his mind went back to that Monday night when an argument about a theory turned out to be as good as foreplay.  
“Are you okay bro?” George asked. Richard looked at little tipsy. He was now on his fifth beer.  
“Why I wouldn’t be?” Richard said as he pulled himself together, “A beautiful Friday. I don’t have to work tomorrow, and I do not care if I passed that Econ test.”  
“That’s the attitude, brother.” George said as he clapped his brother’s hand.

Richard took his drink and swallowed it to the end. He made his made to the bathroom and looked at his reflection. He thought that he look good. His hair was perfect, he had not a blemish on his face. He looked like a man. Not a little boy.

“I look good.” He whispered to himself.

He was wearing black. He always liked wearing black. 

When he got out of the bathroom, he saw a friend from one of his classes who said that his presence was missed in the lecture class.

Richard smiled, and explained that he was busy and couldn’t attend class. He then made his way to his brother, who was without company.

“What are you doing tonight?” Richard asked his brother.  
“With Izzy you know that.” George said, “Where the hell is Ned?”  
“I don’t know.” Richard said, “You really are going to only be here with your girlfriend while guys look at her and hit on her.”  
“What do you suggest little brother?” George asked.  
“Take her to a movie, one of those horrible romances.” Richard suggested.  
“Why are you so interested in my love life now?”  
“Can a–” Richard became distracted when he saw Isabel entering the pub. 

She looked fine. If George didn’t take her to a movie or to something he was an idiot, Richard thought. Isabel began smiling at them as she held the door to the people who were entering.

Then he saw her. He saw what he wanted to see. He now felt overdressed. She was so simple. She was wearing jeans and a pale sweater. He tried to remain, and most importantly look irresistibly adorable by leaning over the bar while in his hand he had his seventh beer.

“Two Nevilles walk into a bar–” Richard started but was interrupted by his ribs being elbowed by George, which made him cough.  
“Hello.” Isabel said ignoring what would be the beginning of a bad joke before giving a kiss to George in the lips, which ended up with George snaking his arms around Isabel’s waist.

Anne looked at Richard only to see that he was looking straight at her with a drink on his hand, “Hello.” He said.  
“I am going to get lost.” Anne said to her sister before turning to George, “Take care of her or otherwise I will hunt you to the end of the world.”  
“As you say Annie!” George said.  
“I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” Richard said, making George smile since he thought that his Little Brother would never leave.

Richard started to talk to some friends, starting to rate girls from one to ten.

“An eight.” Richard said.  
“What about that one?”  
“Seven.” Richard said as one of his friends offered him a cigarette.

He nodded even though he hardly ever smoke, unless you count his High School years, but that was because his mother told him not to.

“What about that one?” 

Richard looked and saw that they were pointing at Anne.

“That’s an 7.5.” A guy said, “She is famous for being an bossy.”  
“I give her a 10.” Richard said.  
“A ten?”  
“I bet you 20 bucks that at the end of the night she’ll go home with me.”  
“Deal.”

He walked over to where Anne was sitting. She was talking, actually she was flirting with the bartender, teasing him that he couldn’t make non-virgin Pina Coladas as well as she did.

“I’ll have whatever that she’s having.”  
“You want a Pina Colada?” The bartender asked him surprised. Only girls drank that.  
“Yes.” He said before turning to Anne.

"Dashing as ever, Neville. What or who are you doing tonight?" Richard asked as he exhaled.  
"Did you really had to blow that on me?" Anne asked coughing from the cigarette smoke.  
"Do you prefer it in your ear, or lower?"  
"You are sick."  
"And like you said Annie, it takes a twisted mind to recognize another one."  
"Only my friends call me Annie."   
"But we are more than friends, aren’t we Annie?" Richard asked leaving Anne speechless. Richard smiled, "Now that we skipped the tedious first date and went straight to the only thing that matters to us human, let this poor man buy you a drink now, love?"  
“Not interested.” Anne said stubbornly. She did not like him at all. He was just so arrogant. He was the epitome of arrogance.  
"What are you doing tomorrow, Saturday night?" Richard asked her.  
"Nothing that involves you York. It’s not gonna happen. I said already no–"  
"Not the other night. They other night you were– yes! Oh Yes! Right there! Oh! Oh! Oh! Yes!– do you not remember?"  
"Shut up! Shut up, you idiot!" Anne hushed him.

He was now getting on her nerves.

Richard smiled as he reached for her phone, “Acting nubile now, Miss?”  
“You say– What are you doing?” Anne asked when he grabbed her phone.

He was a feet maybe taller than her. He wasn’t that tall, not compared with his brother George.

“It is a pity that I do not have your phone number. I friended you on Facebook but you blocked me. George doesn’t have your phone number, so . . . this is me getting what I want.” He said as he finished dialing his number and called himself.

“Now you can call me whenever you want to argue about metaphysics and logic, all whatever we are taking in that class. You are a med student, right? If you ever need help with human reproduction, I am here to help. Just call me, and I’ll be at your place even if it is three in the morning and you need to practice. You know what they say about learning. You learn when you practice and I know that you will enjoyed it as much as I will.” Richard confidently said.  
"It would never happen, York. Haven't you ever heard of stress?" Anne asked, "Well, I had a philosophy exam–"  
"I know. I copied my answers off your Scantrons and aced it too."   
"I trust you have heard that sex helps with stress." Anne said, “You were a way to get rid of all that tension that test caused me.”  
"We did not had sex that beautiful monday night, Annie. We made love. We connected in a spiritual level, Annie."  
"What do you know about connection?"  
"You are still talking to me. Answering each and everyone of my questions. There is a reason why your perfectly round rear is still glued to that chair. It has to do with my face, and with my abilities, and the fact that you find me addictive to talk to because you still, though you are annoyed, you keep talking.”

"You have no chance with me." Anne said with a smile in her defense. She was now feeling vulnerable. He was reading her.  
“Then prove it.” Richard said, “I dare you to kiss me.”  
"Sorry, York. I don't kiss smokers."  
"First, stop calling me York. We should have pet names for each other to this point. Second, I don't smoke. My friends were just–"  
"Worst boy! I don't kiss, nor date, nor anything with guys who smoke because their friends do." Anne said before shaking her head, "Peer pressure. Pity about this university. I thought that I would find men, but it is full with dull, narcissistic little rich boys."  
"I am not a boy!" He said, "Kiss me and I'll prove it.  
"Trust me, you are a little boy. You are one. It doesn't surprise me that you are the Little Brother."

That was the last drop for Richard. The thing that most irritated him was to be called by people that weren't from his family was Little Brother.

"You think I am little boy?" He asked her.  
"Yes." Anne said, "You act like one. You kiss like one. You do it like one."  
"I didn't picture you as a pedophile."  
"What did you just called me?" Anne asked. That was the last drop of water for Anne's glass.  
"Can I have a beer?" Anne asked the bartender.  
"Which one?"  
"The most expensive." Anne said.

It all happened so fast, but Richard got on track with Anne's thoughts too late. Anne smiled at him and threw the beer at him.

"He'll pay for it, Bill." Anne said to the bartender before she walked away, leaving Richard with her tab, twenty dollars from the bet with his friends, and beer all over his new Brook Brothers shirt, and his leather jacket. Something told him that she should have stopped drinking after his third beer.

Tell me what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

The beeping of the alarm, sounded, and Richard York’s head was pounding. It was real, he said to himself. It was not a nightmare. The alarm kept beeping, and then his phone rang. It was Cecily Neville. His loving Mother.

“Morning!” He mumbled, still with his head on the pillow.  
“Oh Rick! I am glad that you are awake. I am on my way. I remember that you said that you wanted to go alone to the appointment, but I want to go with you my love.”  
The appointment. That was one of the things that had been stressing him during the week.  
“You do remember that you have the appointment today, right?”  
“Of course I do, Mom.”  
“Did you went drinking last night?” His mother asked him as she noted a slur in his husky voice.  
“Maybe.” Richard said. He was in no mood to talk.  
“Richard . . . the doc–” His Mother went on, and on, on how drinking could affect his healing, “–Richard!”  
“Okay, Mama. As you say.”  
“Boy, did you listened to a thing that I just said?”   
“I’ll pick you up at 9:00am.” He said before hanging up. 

His head was still pounding, and when he got out of his room, he went directly to the bathroom. There he saw his shirt. Reminding him again of what happened the night before.

“Anne!” He sighed.

He, while he brushed his teeth, he could still feel how she threw the beer at him. He could feel each drop landing on his face, then dripping down to his neck, and finally resting on his shirt.

When he went to the kitchen, George put on a face when he saw him, only making Edward laugh.

“I know what happened!” George snapped at him.

Richard remained neutral. Maybe he didn’t know what exactly happened.

“What did you hear now?” Richard asked.  
“You . . . Anne. It is all over. She threw a beer at you because you tried to kiss her.”

Richard laughed. It was not because he found it funny, just because his brother knew nothing.

“I didn’t tried to kiss her.” Richard said, “Can you pass me the Tylenols?” Richard asked Edward.  
“Isabel is different. If she dumps me because of you I’ll hunt you down.”  
“Now you do sound like Anne. Anne's just still pissed at me because I copied off her exam and still got a better grade.” Richard said.  
“Stop it, Richard.” George said, “Please.”  
“Are you that serious with Isabel? One month dating?” Edward asked.  
“They do know each other from Summer College.” Richard pointed out.  
“It is serious.” George said, “I am 20, and I want–we both want a serious relationship.”  
Edward looked at Richard and laughed. Alike Edward, when George was younger he was what it is known “a player”, but since he met Isabel, it was ‘Isabel said this . . . Isabel said that’. He was in love with Isabel. For her birthday, he threw a surprise party for her. George had to beg Isabel to say yes, and she said yes to him on St. Valentine’s day.  
“We both want?” Edward asked.  
“Yes.” George said, “Now, if you do not behave when you are around Anne, I’ll swear I’ll break your back again.”  
“I am trembling!” Richard said as he went to the laundry to find a clean shirt and pair of pants.   
“Where are you going?” George asked him as He took the Tylenols and took three swallowed them.  
“I have an errand to run.”

George turned to Edward just for the sake of mere curiosity, “Do you think . . . is it possible that our Little Brother likes Izzy’s Little Sister?” 

Edward remained silent for a few seconds, and he thought about it. Well, Anne was Richard’s type. Beautiful, smart, stubborn, and really bossy.  
“Nah!” Brothers answered in unison.

Richard learned the hard way never to drink coffee from his brothers. Never, unless he wanted to have diarrhoea for the day, so as usual, he went to the nearest Starbucks and bought a coffee. He then saw Anne’s usual order. The first time they met was on the start of their sophomore when they both started only to attend early classes. In those sleepy days, he noticed that Anne always had the same scent in her breath. A pleasant one still is, it was coffee from Starbucks. So one day, he took a zip to know why she liked it so much without her knowing. He liked it. It was sweet, and foamy. Yet, he ended up drinking the little left that was left on her cup, and Anne went student by student asking to breath on her, and when she went to him she said that she could smell the vanilla, the cinnamon and that he had whip cream on his his nose.

When he got to his destination, he thought that it was a really nice apartment complex for two young sisters. It looked better than the University dorm for sure, and better than his. The complex just yelled ‘Isabel Neville and Anne Neville'.

“Apt 301. York, just paying a visit to my friend.” He said to the security guard. He only used his surname because if Anne was awake, and she answered the call, the security guard would say his name, and he knew that Anne will say to never let him inside the complex premises.

This was his errand. It was not an errand. It was him praying for a miracle.

“Miss Neville, we have a York here.” 

The guard let him pass, and as he parked, he saw Isabel already standing in the gate with her hair wet, wearing a pair of shorts and a v-neck t-shirt.

“I don’t understand.” Isabel said, “Why– what are you doing here?” Isabel asked.  
“I just want to talk to your sister. I know that she wont talk. Not to me at least of all the humans that habituate the Earth, but I really have to. It's about school I– just tell her to come, please.”  
“Is this what happened yesterday?” Isabel asked.  
“What happened yesterday?” Richard asked, but he couldn’t fool Isabel.  
“Don’t give me that face. You called her a pedophile.”  
“Is she mad at me?” Richard asked with a question face. 

Isabel opened the gate and guided him to the little park were the kids played.

“Look Richard, my sister . . . I know that you are under a lot of stress right now–” Richard tried to interrupt her, but she kept talking, just like Anne always did, “–with the accident and posible–  
“I’ll kill him. I’ll hunt him– he told you?” Richard asked not wanting to believe that his brother opened his big mouth.   
“There is no need to feel embarrassed about it. What you are going through must be really hard. Just don’t take it out on Anne. I understand that it is easy to take it out on her because she is always in the mood to start an argument and–”  
“Does she knows?” Richard asked feeling embarrassed. In his eyes, if Anne knew she would feel pity towards him and would see him weak.  
“She does not knows, and wont know. At least not from my lips.” Isabel said as she tapped Richard’s back.  
“Why do you have two cups of coffee?” Isabel asked.  
“This one is mine. This one is a Vanilla Latte with cinnamon and whipped cream.”  
“That one is for Anne?” Isabel asked amazed. It was a nice coffee, but she knew that her sister wouldn’t take it. Anne would think that there was poison and that he was trying to poison her so he could be the highest grade in the sophomore class, “Are you sure that you want to give coffee to Anne?”  
“It is her favourite.” Richard noted. Isabel found it hilarious that he brought her sister coffee as a peace offering.  
“She’s still mad at you.” Isabel said, “And she did threw a beer in your face, she told me. Imagine what ideas scalding coffee may give her.”  
“It would result on more medical bills.” Richard said.  
“Come. I’ll be the mediator if it gets out of hand.

He had never seen the inside of Isabel and Anne’s place. It changed a lot in the way he thought about the two Neville sisters. He previously thought that they were spoiled girls, but the place was decorated in such home-like fashion. Pictures of tiny Isabel with two braids that made her look like Rapunzel, and a really pretty picture, he thought, an adorkable picture of an five year old Anne smiling while missing her four front teeth.  
“Oh I need to take a picture of this!” Richard said as he took out his phone to take a picture of the picture.

“That’s Anne’s favourite picture of her.  
“I didn't expected her to be that fat.”  
“She was Mrs. Pillsbury.”  
“Really?” He asked.  
“She had more love handles that you could imagine.” Isabel said, “One time, she ate dirt because she thought that looked like Ovaltine.”

Now he understood another thing, why Anne liked so much food.

“She lost her weight when she started gymnastics, but the flipping through the air when she broke her wrists. She couldn’t write for almost five months, or do anything, which meant that I had to do everything for her."  
“How old was she then?” Richard asked.  
“Fifteen. She says that those were the days were she felt like a queen. Everything was done for her.” Isabel laughed, “I’ll see if she’s awake.”

Isabel walked to her sister’s room, and left Richard looking at the pictures. So many pictures for such small family. A family of four. Only two girls. Both parents successful. 

One a lawyer, Mr. Neville, and the other a Doctor, Mrs. Neville.

“She’s still sleeping.”  
“Can you wake her up?” Richard asked.  
“Do you want her to yell?”  
Richard shrugged his brows, “That lazy?”  
“She’s not lazy. She’s a hard-worker.” Isabel corrected him.  
“Can you wake her up. I need her to know that I was drunk last night and that I really did not meant anything that I said– well some of the stuff I truly meant it, but–”  
“Oh my God!” Isabel interrupted, “You have a silly crush on her!”  
“No I don’t!” Richard snapped almost glueing his eyelashes together.  
“Just tell her that someone from a lecture is here.” Richard smiled at her. 

It was a really fake smile, Isabel thought. George and Richard, they looked a lot a like, and it was one of those sarcastic ‘haha’ smiles.

“What did you really said?” Isabel seriously asked as she placed her hans of her hips.  
“I am not George. I am not intimidated by you.”  
“Oh you are not?” Isabel said, walking towards him.  
“Okay, maybe a little bit. You and your sister sometimes scare me . . . I beg you a thousand times Isabel.”  
Isabel sighed in conquest. “With one condition.”  
“You are so your sister’s sister.” Richard sighed in annoyance, “What are you waiting for?”  
“You’ll owe me one.” Isabel said. Richard knew now why she was in pre-law.  
“Okay! Just tell your sister to her her pretty ass over here.”   
“Her pretty ass?” Isabel asked.  
“I have learned that if you want to be on your sister’s good graces, you need to compliment her.”  
“Not bad, Richard. Are you sure you do not fancy my sister platonically?”  
“No I don’t. Just go to her. Tell her that some one is her, and no telling George that I came by.”  
“Why?” Isabel asked crossing her arms her chest.  
“Izzy, please!”  
“Only because you were a good, obedient, little boy that said please.”

The Little Boy thing was getting out of hand for him.

When Isabel told Anne that there was someone who wanted to talk to her. She didn’t question who it was. Since a child, Isabel always said “there’s someone here for you, Anne” and now, she just thought that her sister should answer her “who is it?” question. Specially when she saw who it was.

"Out of my house!"   
"Annie!" Isabel gasped, still oblivious of their relationship.  
"He’s a pig." Anne said as she pushed him out of the door, "That’s why."  
"Can we talk outside?" He asked her. 

He really did not wished to Isabel hear this, so instead of waiting for Anne to answer, he pulled her outside with him, making Anne rolled her eyes.

"I brought you coffee, but I got scared that you might throw it at me. Cold beer is one thing, but scalding coffee … I wouldn’t risk it."  
"Good you are learning now." Anne noted.  
"I am really sorry for the way I acted yesterday."  
"So you do have a conscience?"  
"I do, and I’ll like to make it up for you."  
"How?"  
"I can be a gentleman."

Anne laughed at the scene he was making. She would give him credit for coming early in the morning, but the credit was cancelled after saw the hour on her phone.

"Love the jokes." Anne said, "Specially at this hour. Have a nice day, York."  
"I said that you can call me Richard!" He yelled as Anne closed the door in his face, making him smash the coffee to the floor. Anne saw it from the window, and quickly opened the gate.  
"You better clean that, York!”

Richard grunted, and threw the cup inside the gate, hitting Anne with it. Anne looked at him, opening the gate, and walked to him.

“Don’t hit me!” Richard pleaded but Anne pushed him to grass, making Richard feel the lawn sprinkler in his back.  
“Anne get off!” Richard yelled, “You are hurting my back!”  
“Oh . . .” Anne laughed at him, “You didn’t complain last Monday night.”  
“Because I didn’t had a damn sprinkler in my back, and there other pleasures ruling my body.” Richard clarified. 

This was probably the only conversation they have had where they really meant what they were literally saying.

“You are such a girl.” Anne said as she shoved the paper cup of coffee into the inside of his pants. The reality for Richard of this is that he had gotten lost also in her eyes, a side from pain.  
“Really, Anne! That’s so ladylike.”  
“Well, this is not the 14th century. I can act however I want to. Now, get out of here, and if you ever come a mile from here, just remember that my Dad is a lawyer, and he knows a lot of thugs and judges that can help him with a restriction order.” Anne said before hitting him in the head with her hand.  
“I am so scared!” He said sarcastically.  
“I mean it York!” Anne yelled as she stood up.  
“IT’S RICHARD. RICHARD, ANNE! YORK WAS MY DAD!” He yelled as he sat up straight.  
“There is no need to yell, York. I am right in front of you.”  
“ANNE!” That was Isabel.  
“You owe your life to Isabel now.” Anne said, but Richard was not paying attention to her words, only to her blue eyes.  
“You have pretty eyes.” He said.  
“You have funny eyes.” Anne said, pushing him back to the grass before her sister came and pulled her inside by the ear.  
Richard laughed at what just had happened. 

He couldn’t understand why he needed her to forgive him. He knew that at times, he could be a total pig. Yet, he needed her to hear her say, I understand. I forgive you. He wanted her to forgive him, so they could go to their daily routine, which consisted of he, flirting with her, and at the same time teasing her, and Anne, just telling him off, showing her how witty she could be.  
Or maybe, maybe it was because he really enjoyed that Monday night. Maybe it was . . . maybe it was because he liked it. No, it was not because he liked it– it was because he loved how it felt to have her forehead resting against his as they kissed. Maybe because he enjoyed – loved – the way her straight hair fell to her shoulders, and how her soft, silky, never-ever-held-a-vacuum-less-a-broom hands tangled between his. Maybe it was because he liked her or maybe he felt a little shadow of love for her. 

“Are you okay?” Isabel asked from a few feet away from him. He showed her his thumbs up.  
“Never been better!” He yelled before Isabel and Anne disappeared. He smiled at himself, as he looked for his buzzing phone.  
“Hello.”  
“Richard!”  
“Mom! I am already on my way. A minute a way.”  
A little lie never hurt anyone.


	5. Chapter 5

The first thing that he heard about his Mother was that he needed to understand how time worked.

“It’s 8:30am, Richard. We need to be there by nine.”  
“We’ll be there. Trust me, Mother. I know how to drive.”  
“I know you do. But you boy, you do not know how to keep track of time.” His Mother said as she reached to comb his hair.  
“Mom, do you want me to crash the car?”  
“You have grass in you hair. Richard, the places that you have intercourse–”

That made Richard laugh.

“Why do you always have to go there.” He laughed, “I am not Edward.”  
“You have grass in your hair. What did you do?”  
“Nothing. I just fell early today.”  
“Is your back okay?” His Mother asked worried.  
Richard smiled at her, warmly saying, “It is.”

Cecily York there, as her youngest son smiled at her, she saw the shadow of the reflection of her late husband smiling with the same warmth at her.

“What?” Richard asked. His mother shook her head and smiled.  
“You just have grown into fine, decent man.” She said as she pushed her son’s dark curls out of his eyes.  
“Are you okay?” He asked her.

Richard felt a little confused at the moment with his mother’s words and actions. She was never this tender.

“Am I not allowed to fix my youngest son’s wild curls?”  
“Sorry.” He said, making his Mother sigh.  
“How did you fall? Are you feeling dizzy? Is there is pain? You need to tell everything today. Are you feeling numbness on your toes or fingers?”

 

When he was on the Ninth Grade, he was in a car accident, alongside George, his deceased brother Edmund, and his Father. The accident caused him more problems since he already had a mild scoliosis

“I am fine. It is just the usual tightening sensation.” Richard said. He felt that he was old enough two attend his routine check-ups prior the possible surgery to replace the metal with an organic one, but his Mother Cecily York was mother hen, always behind her little chicks.  
“I need to ask you about George and that Neville girl. Are they really serious?”  
“George says they are, which is disgustingly annoying to hear all the time. Izzy this, Izzy that.”  
Cecily laughed at him for an instant. He always was like this. He was the most macho of her sons.  
“Is there a girl in your head?”  
Richard rolled his eyes as he turned the signal light on. it always went like that. Cecily would ask of Edward, then of George, and then to him.  
“Why are you so interested in my love life?” Richard asked looking at her.  
“Keep your eyes on the road.” His Mother said.  
“It’s really annoying Mother. I am nineteen years old.”  
“Your brother is twenty and he is in a serious relationship.”  
“Only because the girl is just as weird as he.”  
“Is she weird? You tell me that now. I said George that I wanted to meet her tonight. They are coming tonight.”  
“Isabel?” He asked.  
“Yes. Also her little sister. She’s a classmate of yours, is she not?”  
“She’s coming too?” Richard asked. He didn’t know if he should smile or frown. She could tell stories about him on class. She could out him to his Mother about his behaviour, and how he copied her exams.  
“I do not know. I extended an invitation to the girl. I remember reading about her in the newspaper. She did some charitable work while in high school, in New Orleans.”  
“Anne? You are taking about Anne Neville?”  
“Yes! That’s her name!”  
“But she has such soft hands.” He pointed out, “Are you sure that it was Anne Neville? The daughter of Richard Neville from Warwick Criminal Law?”  
“They are the Nevilles from Warwick? Oh God! I already like them!” He said.  
“George has always had good taste in girls. They come from a good family too, which is good. They are not gold diggers.” Cecily said, making Richard chuckle.  
“Are you now happy for George?” He asked her.  
“It was about damn time. When are you going to get a girlfriend?”  
Richard sighed knowing where this was going.   
“I am nineteen. I don’t want to be in a committed relationship. Not now at least.”  
“Is the other Neville girl single?” She asked him.

Richard looked at her, his mouth wide open shaking his head.

“I am just saying son. Maybe a girl may make you feel better. Distract you. You haven’t had an easy life, love. You have gone through pretty rough stuff. You are only nineteen. You have lived more than I had lived when I was nineteen.”  
“Mom . . . don’t start with that talk. I am doing okay.”  
“Are you?”

He remained silent for a moment as he kept driving. His mother was right. At his age, he had seen two of the most important people die. Sometimes during the night, he could remember George telling him not to go asleep, while he could taste blood on his tongue. Blood not from his, but from his brother who was bleeding to death by his side.

“Richard!”  
“There’s this girl.” He said, opening himself to his Mother.  
“What’s her name?”  
“I wont tell you that because I know you’ll ask George or Edward if they know her–”  
“Do I know her?” His mother interrupted. Sort of? Maybe? You kinda asked me if she was single a few minutes ago.  
“Sort of.” He answered.  
“How can I sort of know her? Either I do– or I do not!” His Mother said loudly.  
“You do not know her.”  
“What did you did to her?”  
“We sort of . . . you know . . . and then . . . a few weeks ago I sort of insulted her after. She has it for me.”  
He obviously altered some of the facts. His Mother could start asking and pushing around his siblings.  
“Does she now hates you?”  
“She has it, and well, she– we are incredibly rude to each other, and I am constantly like harassing her, but in reality is because I don’t know how to be nice to her–”  
“How about you just man up and tell her. It worked for your Dad . . . after six months of trying.”  
“I asked her out and she literally laughed at my face, telling me to ask Loony Meg out instead of her.”  
“The Beaufort girl?”  
“She’s torturing Mother. The Beaufort girl– she– she once asked one of her friends to ask her out. She now teases me with it every single time.”  
“Do something nice. Get her coffee–”  
“Already did. She shoved the cup on my pants.” Richard interrupted.  
“Help her study for a class–”  
“That’s how we ended up . . . you know.”  
His Mother looked at him weirdly.  
“What haven’t you done?” She asked him.  
“Being a gentleman . . . and I know that you are going to say, but when I act like one, she acts so unladylike, which is really a turn on, and makes me go crazy, which takes me back to out daily routine of insulting her which I am pretty sure that we enjoy the most.”

Cecily looked at him a little disgusted on the details of her son's turn on and what not.

“I am going to stop talking.”  
“Yes. I think you should.” Cecily sighed, shaking her head as she fixed her pearl necklace as she looked at the mirror, “This sort of talk is just a little wrong . . . just come to me when you are heartbroken . . . not when you are just having because a girl is saying to you no after you being an ass to her.”  
“I thought you wanted to me to tell you if I was okay.” Richard said as he parked the car in the orthopaedic surgeon’s office.  
“I want you tell me if you were okay, which you are because you are up to your usually mischief. Now get off, and sign yourself in.”  
“I am perfectly capable of coming here by myself, you were the one who was insisting.” Richard told her as he took her hand to get a hold of her.  
“You had grass in your hair, Richard.” Cecily said. “You left the X-rays at the place you and your brothers share. You may be grown, but you are certainly not old enough to take care of yourself. I also hope that you are using protection too. For the last thing now is to be a grandmother.”

 

They waited for half-an-hour in the waiting room, which made Richard a little bit jumpy when his Mother started to make pressure on the nurse for the Doctor to hurry.

The Doctor was happy to see Richard. He had ben his doctor for his entire life, since Edward once noted that his brother back looked different. He started to, as usual if he was feeling okay, if he felt the numbness or anything else.

“What do you think?” Richard asked.  
“Same tightening sensation?” He asked him.  
“Yes, which is the result of the rod.” Richard smile as the doctor , “You know, I am starting to think that you have a thing for my Mother and that is why you want me to have monthly check ups.”  
“You have monthly check ups because I needed to see the that your spine is healing right.”  
“Five years ago.” He said, “I think it should have healed by now.  
“We’ll take it out over the summer.” The Doctor said, “Now get out, York!”  
“Do you still have those ying-yang lollipops that are green, white and orange. I like those. That’s why I want those colours.”  
“You are nineteen years old. Only people under twelve get those, now get out before your Mother yells at my nurse once again.”  
Richard smiled as he stood up to walk to the bulletin board where the doctor kept pictures of his patients.  
“What are you doing?” The Doctor asked.  
“This picture of me kills me every single time that I look at it. It’s just plain embarrassing.”  
The picture was taken by his sister Meg, who took it while he was under morphine with a really funny face. His eyes were lazy and he was drooling a little.  
“Don’t worry, I have a copy of all of them.”  
____________________________________________________

Anne threw herself into her bed as Isabel walked like a hurricane in her closet. Cecily York had invited her, and she was going crazy. She needed to make a good impression.

“I was thinking about wearing pearls. Anne!”  
“I think that pearls screams ‘I am a good girl, I swear, but I like to get frisky at times’, which would be funny to see.”  
“Then come. Please, Annie. I am really nervous about this.”  
“I don’t want to go there. I don’t want to see Richard and his annoying hair, eyes, smug attitude.”  
“What it is going on with you two anyway.”  
“The bastard keeps copying me during the exams. Every single time. I am tired of it, specially when he gets better grades than I do. I like that shirt. Just wear some nice dress that makes your hips look big so she sees that you’ll be good to give her grandchildren when you two get married.”  
“Come with me.”  
“I am not. I have to study for this microbiology test I have on Monday. I got am 80 on the last test.”  
“That’s it. You are going with me. You are making me miserable. They call Mrs. York the Duchess. The Duchess! I am freaking out. You have to come with me. I need you there to pretend that you are having a seizure if everything is going wrong. C’mon Anne. You need to also get over the fact that George and I are dating now and that Richard is his baby brother. He’s cool with you. Why can’t you be too.”  
“You said that it was a barbecue, right?” Anne asked as she placed her book to the side.  
“Yes.” Isabel smiled, “And inside barbecue. It may rain.”  
“Whatever, you know how mad I go when I am around ribs.”  
“Eat like a lady. Please.”  
“Okay. I’ll try.”  
“Behave too.”  
“Do you still want me to go?” Anne said as she looked at Isabel. She was trying to make Isabel regret asking her, but Isabel saw that her hand was moving towards the book.  
“Yes. Get ready. We’re leaving in an hour.”

Anne wore black, while Isabel just wore a deep blue velvet. Isabel wanted to look serious, but Anne thought that she looked like the president’s wife.

“You look as if you came from a funeral.” Isabel said as she looked at Anne when they got off the car.  
“You look like governor’s or president’s wife.”  
“Thanks, Anne!” Isabel said sarcastically, “Just what I needed.”  
“You look okay.” Anne said as Isabel rang the bell, “Just remember to smile and nod, and say smart things.”   
No one answered, which made Anne a little inpatient and ran it two times and yell, “GEORGE! EDWARD! IT IS RAINING!”  
“Anne!”  
“You know that houses like this someone needs to yell to open the door.” Anne’s whispered.  
“That’s only because our maid was deaf and Dad was too afraid and fond of her to fire her.” Isabel said before the door opened.  
“Hi.” 

It was Richard.

“Finally, we are drowning in here.” Anne said pushing Richard to the side.  
“Hi Richard!” Isabel said when she saw him.  
“George’s on his way. He’s helping Mom– there he is, and Edward and Mom too.” 

George went directly to kiss Isabel and take her out of her wet coat, while Edward salute while Edward saluted Anne with a bone crushing hug.

“Mother,” George sighed, “That’s over there who is getting crushed by Edward is Anne, and this is my lovely Isabel Neville.”  
“Of course she is. If you were kissing her sister it would be just wrong.” Cecily York started as she turned to Isabel, “I was starting to think that you were just a creation on George’s mind.”  
“I am glad I am not.” Isabel said nervously.  
“If you girls want to dry yourself up, there’s a bathroom in the hall, the third door on your left.” Cecily said, “There are towels too.”  
“Okay!” Isabel said before she headed to the hall.

"I can take your coat if you want me to and put it away in the closet." Richard said to Anne as he took the coat out of her arms.  
"It was about damn time that you made yourself useful, York." Anne said.  
"Just give me the damn coat." Richard said snatching it from her hands, "And go on. Make yourself at home. Untangle you panties."  
Anne gave him a cold glare, and when she took the first step, she pushed him to the side. Richard stared at her straight, he felt a little intimidated by him.  
"What? Are you on your days? Do you want some midol or chocolates?"  
Richard instantly regret saying that. He once said that to his sister Meg, and well, he sported a black eye to a party instead than a black tie.  
“Richard!” Cecily raised her voice.  
"You are an ass!" Anne said while he tried to remain cool before walking away, "Do you know that?"   
"Do you like her, Richard?" George asked, "Because if you do, let me  inform you that are in the hate-him-no-chance-in-hell zone."  
"Her?" Richard asked, "She could be the last bird on earth and celibacy would still be my choice."   
Richard walked towards George, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder, “–and besides, I have always preferred  the tedious sea of  the no-chance-in-hell zone, than the friendzone. Do you remember the never ending hill of the friendzone, George?  
"Ooh! I think you touched a nerve there, Georgie." Edward said teasing, calling George how Isabel called him, and successfully teasing both of his brothers at the same time.   
“Edward enough teasing your brothers, you’ll always have time for that.” Cecily said, “Now, you two help each other and take the champagne out.”  
“What about me?” Richard asked his Mother, still with Anne’s coat in his arms.

Cecily leaned closer to him and whispered, “You said to me earlier today that you were having problems with a girl. Is she the girl?”

Richard froze. Not moving, which only made Cecily Neville shake her head.

“Do not mess this for George. Stay quiet and we’ll later talk about it.”  
“What’s it to talk about?” Richard hissed, “I am pretty sure that she practices darts, and that she uses my picture as a target.”  
“Behave! I just cannot believe that you just said that to her!” Cecily said before walking away. 

Richard took a deep breath and sighed. His shirt was now wet because of Anne’s coat. He left his head fall back and instantly grunted.

It was going to be a long night for him. He could feel it already, and it was. Listening to George talk about how they met, and how he begged her, was a story which he knew, and also was sick of hearing. Occasionally, he let his eyes fall to the other Neville girl in the dinning room, and when the conversation changed from Isabel to him and his Mother asking how he behaved on early morning classes.

“Today’s about Isabel and George, Mother. Not me and Anne’s opinion on my behaviour.”  
“It’s fine Richard!” Anne said, “Actually, Mrs. York–”  
“Call me Cecily!” The eldest lady in the room interrupted, “You two are for now practically family.”   
That made Isabel smile. She had heard so many things, but now realized that the three of them were just afraid of their mother.  
“Mom, don’t!” Richard insisted.  
“Are you that bad?”  
“He’s actually pretty good!” Anne said, “But that’s because he copy his answers from my test.”  
For Anne that was just sweet cold revenge. She felt pleasure by saying that. An immense pleasure that went away when she felt Isabel’s eyes on her.  
“Does he?”  
“I do not copy. I am just making sure that I have my answers correct, and you are just pissed because I always get better grades than you.”

George cleared his throat, making Edward asked if he wanted a cough drop.

“I am fine!” George said, giving Richard the same smile that Isabel gave Anne.  
“Don’t look at me like that. It is the bloody truth!” Richard laughed.  
“I got a C on Spanish class, just because you decided to say my part on the oral presentation. I got a zero. An F in that project which happened to be 20% of the grade!”  
“That’s has nothing to do with this!” Richard yelled.  
“Okay!” Edward interrupted, “I think we all can agree that Richard can be lazy at times.”  
“Lazy? She’s the lazy one, who studies for a philosophy test the day before?”  
“Oh my God!” Isabel gasped. She realised the real problem at that moment.  
“Richard!” Cecily cried out loud.  
Isabel was mentally stabbing Anne, dissecting her from every limb of her body.  
“I think that I am going home. You take a cab, ” Anne said as she stood up, “Thanks for extending the invitation to me Mrs. York.”  
Cecily smiled at Anne before Anne walked away.  
“What?” Richard asked.  
“Go and say you are sorry.”  
“She’s the one who outed me!” Richard complained like a little boy.  
“NOW!”  
“Fine!” He grunted like a ten year old as he stood up, looking a lot alike his late father when he was mad.

Anne was still trying to look up for the closet, but when she found it, she did not find a thing.

“They are not there. We never use that one.” Richard said making her look back. She did not say a word. She was so mad at him, and in reality didn’t understand why.  
“Where is it?” Anne asked trying to put a strong fort.  
“I am sorry.” He said.  
“You are sorry. You are harassing me, and it is getting out of hand!” Anne cried out loud.  
“What do you want me to do. I came earlier today by your place, and you practically barked me like a dog sees the mailman.”

God he was hot, Anne thought. He had a really nice facial structure. Really angular. She shook her head at her thoughts, blinking a couple of times trying to say something to insult him.

“Give me my coat.”  
“Why are you so rude to me? I understand. I am a jerk, but–”  
“You said it yourself!” Anne said as he opened the correct closet, “You are a jerk.”

 

Anne pushed him to the side and took her still wet coat, and slid her hands on Izzy’s coat to get the key. Richard didn’t know what got into him, but he pushed Anne to the inside of the closet and kissed her. 

Oh he felt it.   
They both did. 

Alike he said days before, they had a lot of chemistry, not only the academic subject but real human chemistry. Anne went with it for at least five seconds before she opened her eyes from the trance and bit his tongue.

“Really? You were into it just as I was.”  
“No I was not. You caught me out of guard, and that was just plain inappropriate.” Anne said before opening the door, and when she stepped out, she saw none other than Cecily York before them.  
“Mom–” Richard said nervously, “She couldn’t find her coat.”  
Cecily nodded as she noted a little bit of blood on her son’s lips.  
“Goodnight Mrs. York.”  
“Anne.” Cecily smiled before turning to Richard.  
“To your room. Now.”  
“But I haven’t finished dinner.”  
“Oh you certainly just did!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, I know! Let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

Anne went to her home. She was hiding in her childhood home, who was an hour away from her flat. Her parents weren’t in town, which she was glad, but when she found that the fridge was empty a frowned appeared on her face. The house was empty. No sound could be heard, only hear her footsteps. She shouldn’t have said a thing. She could feel Isabel’s breath on her, even they were so far away. Miles away.Richard kept calling her, texting her that he was really sorry. He kept texting her, over, and over, and over, until Anne got mad and answered his call.

“Can you not take a hint?” Anne asked.  
“No.” He said.  
“I am not interested.” Anne said, “I am not, and trust me I’ll never be.”

Richard angrily took his phone and threw it against his wall as he got on to bed. Resting on his pillow, he wondered why he just couldn’t hold his tongue, and just nod and smile. It was so different. He felt good when he pushed her around. He just enjoyed it. He enjoyed watching her brows before she said something witty, and how her brow muscles contracted. She was just adorable. He liked how her hair smelled. He then started to remember the time when the past semester when the group they were in decided to stay in one of their houses. He remembered watching her sleep. That was funny. It wasn’t cute or anything. It was more really funny. She was saying that she wasn’t tired while with her fingers she was opening her eyes. 

“I am not tired.” He remembered Anne whispering before she walked to the sofa, and fell back asleep, her mouth open. 

He remembered that he followed her, and sat next to her. That was the first time he smelled the scent of her hair. Smelled like something sweet, silky. He grunted. He grunted two times, punching the bed in frustration feeling a tightness in his throat, and face. Then a tear ran across his face. A single tear.

Anne was now surfing the internet to see if the owner of Nutella had a son of her age. Maybe it could work. Her love for chocolate was so big, and she knew that it would never end. 

Then, during the morning, she heard the bell ring. It was Isabel. Anne sighed, and quickly jumped to the bed as if the bogeyman was a few feet from her, pulling the covers up, and pretended that she was asleep.

Isabel knew that she was pretending when she saw her.

“Get up. We need to talk.” Isabel said, pulling the covers away from her.  
“I am sleeping.”  
“No you were not. I saw that you already made breakfast. The house smells as if something burned.”  
“I don’t know how to work with that stove.” Anne said.  
“Get up. Shower, put on some clothes, and I want to talk with you.”

Anne sighed, as she got off the bed. She dragged herself to the bathroom, and when she got out she got dressed and then went directly to her sister.

“What?”  
"You ruined this for us." Isabel said to Anne, while miles away George said the same to Richard.  
"I'll ready said that I am sorry. How many times do you want me to say it?" Anne asked. A similar respond Richard gave to his brother, only with more vulgar words while he was still in bed.  
"Of all the girls you could pick on you chose Anne. Anne Neville. Belle's sister? Do you like her, is it that?" George asked.  
"No!” Richard said, “Why do you care?" Richard asked rolling his eyes.  
"Do you think she's the victim here? She's not a saint. She make look like  an angel, with that blonde hair, and blue eyes of hers," Richard smiled before shaking his head, "but she isn't one. I make her miserable because she makes me miserable."  
"It isn't bad to like Anne Neville." George said, "She is a pretty little thing. Perky, quirky, full of life, it is not bad to like her at all. But what gets me on my nerves is that of all girls in our University you go for Isabel's little sister!"  
“Of all boys, Anne! Of all boys you decide to get silly with George’s little brother. How long have this been going on?” Isabel asked.  
“I am not talking about this.” Anne said, “And there is nothing going on with us. It was just one night. I was feeling stressed, and well, there he was being really annoying, and okay, he is not that bad looking, and he does have a nice chest and shoulders, and well I hate to admit that he does knows how to use . . .” Anne stopped herself from speaking when she saw Isabel’s disgust face, “I took my anger at him.”

Isabel didn’t know if she should laugh or if she should hit her. So she did both.

“You slept with him because you were stressed?” Isabel asked as she hit her, “Because you were angry at him? Do you go at it with everyone who makes you angry and annoys you?”  
“Don’t hit me!” Anne cried, “And I don’t do it with anyone. It was just him. I swear it. It was one time. It was only a week ago.  
“I can’t believe this. You two are just as selfish as each other is. How long have the two of you–”  
“I already said I am not going to talk about it.” Anne said as she stood up from her sister’s holding, “Now, if you excuse me, I have a microbiology test tomorrow, and I came here to study.”  
“No. You came here to hide. Like you always do. Just answer me. Do you like him?”  
“Since when do care who I fancy now?”  
“So you do fancy him?” Isabel asked just as George was asking Richard the same.  
“I do not!” Anne answered.  
“I do think she’s pretty.” Richard said to George, “And she’s smart, and does have a nice–”  
“Have the two of you . . . already?”  
“Of course not. I do not like her. She may be hot, but I draw a line when it comes to neurotic wannabe med students.” Richard said.  
“So you think she’s hot?” Edward asked as he came into George’s room.  
“Go away.” Richard said to Edward.  
“No. So my Little Baby Brother has a crush on a girl and he does not know how to act when his around her. Do you daydream of her? Do you daydream of her snapping at you? Of she teasing you? Do you sit besides her in every class that you have together? Do you? Let me think. You asked her out and she laughed at you and the she tapped you back?”  
“She told me to ask Margaret.”  
“Margaret who?”  
 “Crazy Margaret. Everytime that I do something nice for her, she reminds me of everything that I done to wrong her. Specifically on academic matters.”  
“Is she a good kisser?” Edward asked making George close his eyes and grunt.  
“I don’t want to hear this.” George said.  
“Oh she is! I mean . . . she is like– I don’t know, she does this thing where she sucks my upper lip and then bite it. I mean, maybe that was because we were–” In that moment he stopped talking.  
“Oh my god! You deflowered Anne Neville.” George cried out loud, “Oh my God!” George continued as he cried our loud, “You did my girlfriend’s sister. That's incest!”

Richard thought about it. That Monday night, he remembered it. He couldn’t believe it was a week ago when he stood up, and started to walk away, making Anne threw a notebook at him, which he threw it back at her as he walked at her, which led Anne to just push him against the bookshelf to kiss him allowing his way to carry her to the utility room.

“Actually, she was the one who jumped at me.” Richard said as he looked at George. “She is not that saint, you know that.”  
“I can see.” Edward said looking at his brother’s pelvis area.  
“Oh my God!” George sighed as he shook his head, “Get out of here. The two of you. Stop screwing her, Richard. If something happens, Izzy will choose her because if either of them kill someone, the other one will help to bury the body.”   
“You two fighting over two girls. This is adorable.” Edward laughed s he turned to his little brother, “Richard, if you like her, go and get her. Don’t listen to this sour, George. Go and get her, and if the two of you do not work out, well . . . maybe Christmas and Thanksgivings will be a little odd, but I know I’ll remember this conversation, and whenever the tension is a little weird between you two.”  
“Stop encouraging him, Edward!” George cried out loud, “I don’t want him with Anne!”  
Isabel was just saying the same to Anne.  
“I don’t want you with Richard if you are going to do it as a pastime, Anne. It would be really odd then.” Isabel said.  
“I don’t like him!” Anne yelled before Isabel turned around walking to the kitchen.  
“You are now just making her more desirable to me, Georgie.” Richard said to George, “And it is so on. I’ll make her my girlfriend before I go to surgery in July, just to annoy the hell out of your brain!”

Let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

Richard felt good. Apparently, he liked Anne Neville. Not apparently, he liked her. He liked how she talked, walked, raised her hand in classes. Now they were in P.E, and he was in the elliptical machine, watching her as she ran in the treadmill. He was watching how her breasts bounced up and down and all he could think of was taking that sport bra off, and placing kisses in the valley between her breasts after dancing with her the whole night. All he could think was on how to please her, physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, and even academically. He no longer answered every single day questions in philosophy, which made Anne shine more that she already did, and when she got off the machine, Richard lowered his pace and when she walked passed by him, he couldn’t hold his words.

“Go out with me.” He said leaning over the handles.  
Anne looked at him and laughed, “No.”  
Richard stepped off the machine and walked besides her.   
“It’s been two weeks. I’ve been an angel towards you.”  
“When you are not staring at my breasts.”  
“I am sorry." Richard started, "I am a male? Breasts and males, they . . . they are like magnets.”  
Anne looked at him as she shook her head, “You are disgusting.”  
“No, I am not.” Richard said before he looked at himself and saw that he was sweaty, “Okay, I’ll only accept if you mean that I am sweaty and smelly because I feel like I am.”  
“Are you going to follow me into the locker room?” Anne asked, “Are you gonna shower now with me, pour the shampoo on my hair?”  
“Do you want me to?” He asked her, “I would be eager to, but I prefer to take things slow with you now. I want to be a gentleman.”  
Anne did not know what to say. She expected him to say yes, but he changed his answer, which caused her to not to know how to answer him.  
“Get lost!”

 

Anne took a shower, and then went to her car. In two weeks, she had not talked with Isabel because she was still mad for fooling around with Richard. She went to the local library, only to find that Richard was also there, which made her walk towards him and ask if he was stalking her.

“I am not!” Richard said, “I am here because I ordered the Game of Thrones DVDs and they emailed me saying that it was ready.”

He was not lying. He had the three seasons in his hands, along with a book with the title of “How to get THE girl”. He followed her to the checkout station, where he went first, and then Anne who had in her hands a Spanish for dummies book.

“For the record, you are no dummy.” Richard yelled to her as she walked into her car. Anne smiled at that. She knew she was not one, but she just needed something that would explain her in English. Then, in a single instant, as she got in her car, he saw the book on the concrete, and no sign of her. 

“Anne? Anne!” He yelled as he ran towards her.  
“I am okay!” Anne insisted.

Richard looked at her and kneeled in front of her.  
“You are bleeding.” He said as he pushed her hair back to see where the bleeding was coming from. He saw a little scratch just below her hairline.  
“It– it is– a – my foot!” Anne cried. 

Richard look at her foot. She was wearing a pair of flip-flops. 

“Oh my God.”  
“Just help me get into the car.” Anne said as helped her stand up, “I’ll drive myself.”  
“Are you crazy?” He asked her.  
“The hospital is a few minutes away from here.”He hushed her as he got her into the car, and slowly took the flip flop off.  
“Give me your keys.” Richard insisted.  
“No! I’ll drive myself.”  
“Your foot looks like an elephant leg. Give me your damn keys and stop being so freaking stubborn.” Richard said as he snatched from her hands and turned the car on.

He drove her car to where he was parked, and then turned off his car, and locked the door, taking the Game of Thrones DVDs with him.

“You are such a nerd!” Anne shook her head in pain.  
“This nerd is your knight in shining armour.” Richard said.  
“You are nothing.” Anne said.  
“I am nothing?” He asked as suddenly pressed the breaks.  
“Why wont you go out with me? I accept that I was a complete ass, but I deserve a chance, and it pisses me off that you went out with Lovell the other night instead of me. I know you did it just to piss me off.”

 

Anne was not listening. The pounding in her food was so strong, and the pain was overwhelming her now. She did not wanted to cry. She didn’t want to him to see her cry, but the sharpness of the pain was taking over control of her body nerves, and a tear fell from her eyes, accompanied by a cry.

 

“I am sorry . . .” He hushed her when he saw the facial expression she had on, one that screamed pain, and sorrow  
"We’ll be there soon!" Richard said as he drove to the E.R.  
"It hurts." Anne cried.   
"I’ll hurry up if you say ‘Richard, I’ll go out with you’."  
"I am a woman!" Anne cried, "I have more pain tolerance that love towards you."   
"I love you too, Annie." Richard said as he pressed the pedal, not realizing that he had said I love you to her.  
Reaching for her hand, he whispered, “We’ll be there soon.”  
“Just drive!” Anne cried.  
“Do you want me to call Isabel? Your parents?”  
“Isabel, we are giving the silent treatment to each other.”  
“Where are your parents?”  
“My mom works on that hospital. She’s a surgeon there.” Anne said.  
“Okay, give me her phone. I’ll call her now.”  
“No calling and driving.” Anne yelled when they missed a red light, “You missed a red light!”   
“It is an emergency. You show that you were sick and they will dismiss it.” Richard said as she patted her hand.   
“Both hands on the driving wheel!” Anne cried.

He really did not know if he should be glad that this was happening. This had been the longest conversation they have had since the pillow talk of that Monday night.

“Okay, but relax. We are a minute away.”  
“Make it 30 seconds.” 

 

Richard did as he was told, and drove faster, and when he got there, he parked and carried her in his arms. It was really funny to see Anne like that. She was always so independent, and she now depended of him. He had to drive her. He carried her to the E.R and then he entered with her to the room where they gave her an anti-inflammatory and something for the pain which made her really, really relaxed and giggly.

Then, when Dr. Beauchamp came, he explained everything to her.

“She just fell, Ma’am. I saw her, and–she insisted to drive, but she couldn’t.”  
“Hi Mama!” Anne said for the third time, “Can I have this whenever I am stressed?” Anne said referring to the drug that she was administered.” It feels so–” She didn’t finished that sentence because she started asking where was Dr. Karev was.  
“Karev?” Her Mother asked.  
“Grey’s Anatomy, Mama. I would ask Sloan, but he’s dead. What a pity. He was so good looking. I want Dr. Torres to fix my foot. She’s good with bones or maybe Dr. Brennan.”

Richard thought that she was adorable at the moment. She always made references of those shows that so much loved, and as she was now playing with his hands, with his fingers. Telling him now she was, saying to him that he would cry when he saw the Red Wedding, and that would also cry when Ned Stark was beheaded, making Richard thank her sarcastically for spoiling the series to him.

“Thanks for bringing her here.” Anne’s mother said as Anne started to pull Richard’s arm hair.  
“Anne!” He cried in pain, only making Anne laugh with a hair on her fingers.  
“You yelled like a girl.”  
“And you are?” Anne Beauchamp asked not knowing the identity of the handsome boy in front of her.  
“I am Richard York.”  
“George’s brother?” Anne Beauchamp asked as took Anne’s hand from Richard’s arm.  
Richard smiled “Yes I am.”  
“You are the boy who copies off every exam off her.”

Richard did not know what to say. He just remained there speechless, and without moving. He did not expected that the words from Dr. Beauchamp would be those.

“Because of you, she got a C on her Spanish class last semester.”  
“Yes, I am that boy.” Richard answered.  
“Mama, you want to know why Isabel and I aren’t talking?”  
“Anne!” He interrupted her. He did not want her to say anything about it. Not to her Mother.  
“Why?”  
“Because she thinks that I like this idiot. Which isn’t true. I mean . . . he is good looking, and he is a good kisser, but he is just a player, and will end up breaking my tiny, delicate heart into pieces.” Anne said.   
Richard did not move, “I wont break your heart!”   
“Oh yes you will. Boys like you always do. Handsome rich boys always– it has happened once before–”  
“I think it would be better if you just leave.” Anne Beauchamp said as she placed her surgeon hands on his shoulders, guiding him outside of the room.  
“Can– Can you keep me updated?” Richard asked Anne’s mother as he looked for a pen in his pocket and a piece of paper to write his phone number.  
“We’ll see!” Anne Beauchamp said coldly and dryly as she took the little piece of paper in her hands, looking at him with the same judging eyes of those of Anne.  
He looked at Anne smiling. She was all smiles at the moment. All smiles. He now wished he hadn’t call her Mother so he could stay there and comfort her.  
“Bye Funny Eyes!” Anne smiled as she waved goodbye.  
He nodded at her and smiled wanting to give her a kiss on her forehead.  
“Bye Anne!”  
And with that, he left with Anne’s car keys still on his pocket.


	8. Chapter 8

As Richard walked to the library, he couldn’t believe his luck. It was raining, again. Well, it was spring, and it was expected, but he was wearing for shoes a pair of black converse, and everytime he took a step, he did not know if more water came in or went out. When he got into his car, he took of his shoes and drove directly to the place he shared with his brothers. He took a warm shower and washed his hair, and then when he got dressed and took his wet clothes to the laundry, when he took his wallet out he saw that he still had Anne’s car keys. He called Isabel, explained what happened and she told him not to worry that he had left the car on a parking zone.  
“How’s Anne?”  
Isabel sighed, “George told me. You really like her.”  
Richard now knew that Isabel and George were a perfect match. Neither of them mastered the art of keeping secrets.  
“That’s none of your business.” He said as he realized that he had also left the DVDs in Anne’s car, “I also left a rental of Game of Thrones.”  
“Well, you can leave the keys to Anne, and I will give them to you later.” Isabel said.  
“Is she okay?” Richard asked.  
“Well, she is high. Anne’s high on drugs, so trust me Richard, she’s fine.”  
“Has she asked for me?” He started, “Or said anything about me?”  
“Well, she’s now drooling all over the pillow.”  
“Can I pick the DVDs tomorrow?” He asked.  
“I have the spare key of her car. My Mother will have someone to drive it here. Yes, come tomorrow.”  
“Isabel?”  
“What!”  
“What does Anne think really about me?” Richard asked Isabel, causing her while she sat in the hospital to take a deep breath.  
“Anne’s a rare specimen. She likes the thrill of the chase, in the case of the two of you. Anne enjoys when you two insult each other, among other things that the two of you have been doing.”  
“How do you know about that?”  
“Anne is right now under some chemical compounds that are making her really sharing. It is really disturbing. Really? An utility room?”  
“It was more like a storage room. It has a sofa!” Richard pointed out, making Isabel say goodbye. She was not interested in the details of her sister’s liaisons with him. She was interested on them stopping, but not interested on the actual details.  
“Hello?” Richard asked before looking to the screen to see if the called had dropped.  
_________________________________________________________________________________  
Anne was coming out of it, and when she woke-up the next day, she found a note of her Mother telling her that she should not attend classes this week because her foot was still really swollen. Her Mother and her, they were really close. In her family, Anne was mommy’s girl while Isabel was daddy’s.

She looked at her phone, and saw that it was 9:35 AM. Her foot still ache. Hell, it was still swollen, but she was glad that it gave her a few days off classes, specially since she didn’t want to face Richard after the day before, and she was still mad at him for what he said on the Saturday night, asking her if she was in her days, and calling her lazy. She was obviously still mad for him calling her a pedophile, which she did not even understood why he would such say thing. Also was the him copying her during the exams, he checking her out while she was in the gym, the he outing her to Isabel, her Spanish class grade, and obviously, because he gave her the best sex that she had ever had.

Then her phone rang, and it was the guard from the apartment complex.

“A York is here Ms. Neville.”  
“What York. If it is Richard York ask him what he wants?” Anne said as she sat up in her bed. She could here the conversation between the security guard and to the voice that belonged to Richard.  
“He says that he wants to give you your car keys.”  
Anne reached for her purse to see if it was a joke of Richard but it was not.  
“Tell him that he can leave it with you.”  
Anne heard again the exchange of sentences.  
“Mr. York says that he wishes to see how you are doing and that you Miss, that you have in your possession his DVDs.”  
“What DVDs?” Anne asked.  
The security guard was now getting angry. He was not a messenger. That was not included in his job description.  
“Game of Thrones.”  
“Oh!” Anne sighed, “All right, let him in.” Anne said as she reached for her crutches.

In her first attempt with the crutches, she almost pushed the lamp to the floor. Then when she heard her phone ring, she pressed number one to let him in. 

"Surprised that I am good with kids too?" Richard asked Anne when she came out of her room, still wearing her pyjamas, "I am the baby whisperer? Get it?”  
"What are you doing here?" Anne asked.  
"I came here to give you your keys, and well, you have my Game of Thrones series DVDs in your car, "Remember when I drove you to the hospital?"  
"Oh!" Anne sighed, "Right."  
"What?" Richard asked when he saw Anne’s face as he handed her the keys for her car.  
"Who … who is she?" Anne asked referring to the baby in his arms.  
"She’s my daughter."  
"Daughter?" Anne asked, "You have a daughter?"  
A daughter. Richard had a daughter? How come? He was so young and well, it was possible. He was young and handsome, and even though it was only one night, she could tell that he had a high libido.  
“What?” He asked her.  
“You have a daughter? You never said a thing! What kind of Father are you when you don’t even say anything about her!”  
“Calm down, Annie. Annie here is my beautiful niece. For God’s sake, don’t get your silky painties on a twist. ”  
“Annie?” Anne asked.  
“You have a rather common name!” Richard pointed out, instantly regretting what he said.  
“Why aren’t you in class?” Anne asked as she looked at the baby in Richard’s arm who was now resting her head in her Uncle’s neck.  
“Well, let me tell you that class isn’t as phone when you are not there. Second, I had to babysit this little rosebud.”  
“You babysit?” Anne laughed.  
“Again Anne,” Richard started before placing a little kiss in the baby’s forehead, “surprised that kids love me?”   
“Surprised that you have the patience!” Anne pointed out as she walked on her crutches to where the DVDs were.  
“Here. Now go!” Anne said.  
“Mama.” The little girl babbled.  
“She’s not your Mommy. She thinks my sister Anne is–”  
“Anne? How many Anne’s do you know?” He asked her.  
“Why? Are you jealous?”  
“Get out!” Anne said as she crutched her way to the door.  
“How’s your foot?” He asked her as he placed the little girl in the floor, who quickly started crawling around.  
“It would be better when you leave my presence.” Anne said as she losing the balance, but quickly using the wall to regain it.  
Richard walked to her, and placed his arm around her waist.  
“What are you doing?” She asked.  
“I am helping you. You aren’t supposed to be alone, and I meant it when I said that I can be a gentleman.”

“Oh my God!" Anne sighed, "You came here with her so I could take pity on you."  
"Pity?" Richard asked, "And I am not using her. She's my niece!"  
"I know where you are going with this York. You are not the first guy who has brought their nieces so they could show me that they were good with kids. Now go, and let me be. I can take care of myself.”

When he left he looked at his little niece from the rearview mirror.

“Your Uncle Ed was wrong Annie. You were not helpful, but I still do love you.”  
The little girl smiled and once again asked for her Mama.  
“Okay, you will get to hug your Mama.”

Back at the apartment, Anne laughed when she made herself a bowl of breakfast. She smiled at the memory of Richard with the little girl. She had to admit that it was cute to see how someone like him could have such paternal side.

“It’s cute.” Anne said, “Adorable.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richard asks Anne out. Again.

Anne York almost killed her youngest brother. Originally, she gave her little rosebud to her brother Edward to take care of, but when she went to the flat, and found that Edward was entertaining some lady. Her anger went away when she saw that he had actually taken good care of her. She had was wearing a clean diaper and was wearing her second pair of clothes, and also he bought her a tiny Rapunzel plush toy which she was now used to tether her teeth.

Anne was about to throw the crutches to the inside yard from the third floor. In what had gone by of the day, she had dropped her bag twice, and no one around seemed to care that she couldn’t possibly pick them up.

“Here,” A young man said, “Let me help you.”

Anne was relieved to see that there was still some chivalry, at least manners in the “men” in the University.

“Thanks!” Anne said.  
“Do you need help?”  
“Would it be too much if I asked you to please help me go down to the basement. The elevator. It freaks me out.”  
“Claustrophobic?”  
“Yes, and agoraphobic when it comes to elevators. I am also walking around with a broken foot, which wouldn’t help if I got a panic attack.”  
“According to urbandictionary.com, the fear for elevators is called otisphobia.”  
“You shouldn’t trust anything from wikipedia or urban dictionary. I have added some words myself, and edited some pages on wikipedia.”  
“Have you?” He asked.  
“Spoilers on movies and on books.”  
“What’s your name?” He asked her as she took the first step down the stair.  
“I’m Anne. Anne Neville. You are?”   
“Edoard, but every one calls me Edward. My Mom’s French and my Father sort of– that’s another story.”  
“I know a lot of Edwards, but I have never met an Edoard before. Is there a last name in your birth certificate?” Anne asked.  
“Lancaster-Anjou. My Mother insisted to have her name on me.”  
“Well in that case, I am Anne Neville-Beauchamp.”  
“Is your mother French too?”  
“Maybe. I really do not know. But she must have some French in her to have such surname.”  
He helped her with her bag, and also with herself.  
“Give me the crutches.”  
“What?”   
“Put your arm around my neck.”  
“Why?”  
“You are going to fall with the crutches. The floors in here, the are old, and they have to be renovated.”  
Anne gave the boy the crutches, and placed her arm around his neck, while with her other arm, she took hold of the wall.  
“Easy. There. Do you want me to talk to someone so they can fix the elevator.”  
“There is no need to. I don’t have anymore classes today, not in this building.”  
“It was an electricity problem last night. The power went off, and something is still off.”  
Anne laughed.   
“Why are you scared of elevators.”

Anne looked at the boy and thought that he was something. He was nice, and helpful. Also, he was handsome. Tall, with dark hair, and had a french accent, which she thought that it was hot. Maybe, he kisses like the french. 

“It’s a long story.” Anne said.  
“You can tell it to me over coffee?”  
“Coffee? I barely even know you.” Anne pointed out as he opened the door to the lecture room.  
“Thats why? When I can take you to coffee?”  
“Friend me on Facebook.” Anne said before being interrupted.  
“Anne!”   
That was Richard. Not now, she prayed.  
“I can take it from here, friend. This lady, and I, we know each other.”  
“What are you doing?” Anne asked, her happy/flirty mood changing into being a total bitch to Richard.  
“Ignore him. He’s my sister’s boyfriend baby little brother.”  
That just made Richard mad, “I believe that we are more than that.”  
“I have to go!” Edoard said, “I have Price for Art 2021 now. Nice meeting you, Anne. I’ll friend you so we can talk about going to get some coffee.”  
“Okay!” Anne said, playfully battling her eyelashes.

Anne looked at Richard and pushed him away. Almost making him lose his balance. He was now getting a little desperate. No girl in his entire life had made him work so hard, just for a date. He had already done it with her, but he wanted more than that. That is why he was holding to cups of coffee.

“Here’s your coffee.”  
“Did you slipped a drug in it?” Anne asked, “Do you not remember that a few weeks ago I threw a beer at you.”  
“I am perfectly aware of it, and Annie. You do not want to date him. They call him Peanut Edward.” He said as he showed her his little finger.

Anne sat down in the last row since she wasn’t going to walk down the auditorium. Richard sat next to her. She was not complaining because he got her coffee, which she really needed, and still ended up drinking his, which was exactly what he wanted. Yet, there was not enough caffeine that would awake her at the hour. The good thing about sitting in the back was that you could fall asleep and the professor wouldn’t know it. Which she did. She fell asleep, and rested her head on Richard’s shoulder. Richard looked at her, and kissed her forehead when the class ended, which made her wake up.

“What the hell!”  
“Go out with me.” Richard started again, “When I think of you, I get butterflies on my stomach.”   
“How manly.” Anne said as she rubbed her eyes.  
“Exactly. If I really was trying to get into your lovely thighs, I wouldn’t be saying something like that.”  
“You are like Chuck Bass.”  
“That’s low, and at the same time really high!” He complained. “I am more like– I am more like– I really don’t know. And you clearly need help going up those stairs, don’t you. The elevators are off, which I learned the bad way when I my first class was on the fourth floor."  
“There are plenty of people who can help me.” Anne pointed out as she looked around the auditorium. “There’s Francis, and Rob. Mike, and Joe. Crazy Madge and Giovanni.”  
“The thing is that they wont because they have to get to class.” He said as he placed her back inside his bookback, and tying the crutches to his backpack too, “While you and I don’t have to.”  
“C’mon. Don’t be so damn stubborn. You need by gracious help.” He hushed her.  
“There is nothing gracious about your help.” Anne said as the Professor walked by them.  
“See that you two are now on speaking matters.”  
“We sort of had to. Our siblings are dating.” Richard said.  
“Are they?” The Professor asked.  
“Yes. Who’s dating Isabel? Edward? Please don’t tell me it is George!”  
“The one and only.” Anne said as Richard placed and slid his hand to her waist.  
“Shut the door and the lights off before you leave.” The professor said before walking away.  
“I hate you!” Anne said.  
“You do not hate me, Anne. You love me.”  
“I don’t!” Anne said as she placed her arm around his shoulder.  
“Oh you do. You haven’t been complaining on me holding you tight.”Richard said, now walking slowly.  
“I was about to.”  
“Where you?” He asked.  
“Yes, I was.”  
“Why wont you go out with me?” Richard asked her, “I am handsome, smart, and we share now siblings.”  
“No we don’t.” Anne started, “Isabel and George aren’t married.”  
“Why won’t you go out with me?”  
“Why do you want to go out with me?” Anne asked as they now got out of the auditorium.  
“Because I want to.”  
“You want to?”  
“Just a coffee?” Richard asked, “Just let’s go over coffee and some pastries and we can talk.”  
“Talk about what?”

It wasn’t that Anne wasn’t interested. He was disgustingly handsome, was awfully smart, and also was terribly confident about himself. She liked those qualities in guys. She liked guys to know what they wanted, but Anne just didn’t feel sure about him. There was something on his eyes. It was like his eyes were glimmering as a sign of warning. She felt that there was something off about him. She sometimes felt that his overconfidence could be that he was overcompensating for something, which then led her to not being interested.

“You. Where you grew up. Are you Daddy’s little girl, or mommy’s? Let’s go to a coffeeshop, and talk about you.”  
“Coffee shop? I can’t. I have already been invited for coffee.” Anne said making Richard stop.  
“With that loser?” He asked, “He’s an idiot.”  
“You do not know him.”  
“Nor do you!” Anne pointed out.  
“Why will you go with him. A total stranger I might add, and not go with me?”  
“Because he asked nicely.” Anne responded.  
Richard pulled her to a hallway where there were not a lot of people and looked straight at her.  
“What are you doing?” Anne asked without blinking.  
“I am going to kiss you.” Richard said, “I have been dying to. You are not going to complain because you are going to like it.”  
Anne shook her head.  
“I dare you. I want you to see do something like that and–”  
“You want to see?” Richard asked her before planting a kiss on her sealed lips, which remained sealed for a few seconds, but then started to move allowing Richard to suck on her upper lip.

It was surprising to Richard to believe that he was the one who actually pulled away first, while Anne still had her eyes on his lips.

“You want to get that coffee with me instead?”  
“Why do you want to go out with me?” Anne asked, “And not say because–”  
“I don’t know.” Richard said slowly as he tried to look at her eyes instead than her mouth, “There is something about you. You are too independent, I think. I like that.”  
“Independent?” Anne asked. She was actually flattered.  
“Yes, you are. You are independent, stubborn and really witty.”  
“Witty?” Anne asked.  
“And really pretty too.” Richard added as he with his ring finger caressed the left side of her face, “I don’t want you to go and drink coffee with that weirdo. I know really good places, and coffees are now full of hipsters. I’ll take you to dinner instead. A fine one, and tasty one too.”  
“Why? Are you jealous?” Anne asked still resting her sight on Richard’s lips.  
“Of him?”  
“It might seen cliche, but he had the guts to asked you out for coffee.”  
“Are you jealous of him asking me out?” Anne asked  
“Very jealous.” Richard said slowly as he looked at her lips, “Very, very jealous.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think. Also, Edward has a French accent in this one and would not be an antagonist to Richard. Well, not an agressive one. Should Anne say yes to Richard or just say no. Or maybe, instead?


	10. Chapter 10

“You are jealous?” Anne asked. She now just wanted to make him suffer, but the good kind.  
“I already said yes.” Richard said.  
“But I have not. Now, Veronique told me to wait for her in front of the library. Can you help me get there?” Anne asked him before giving him another kiss.

Richard was bewitched by her. She was a seductress. She had enchanted him and she was now well aware of it and was taking advantage of it

“Will you go out with me?” He asked once again, but Anne shook her head.  
“Why not?” He asked again as they turned right just a few minutes aways from the library.  
“Because,” Anne started, “Because of you I got a C in Spanish, and you are constantly cheating on my exams. Also you called me a pedophile which I consider a serious offense for I wish to work with little children. Also, you throw yourself to me and expect me to just say yes. Another thing, you called me lazy in front of your Mother.”  
“Why do you care about that?” Richard asked.  
“If you want to me to even consider the remote idea of going out with you, you must . . . Seduce me. Write letters to me. And poems, I love poems. Ravish me–”  
“Are you quoting Natalie Dormer in The Tudors?”  
“Yes, I am in fact. I trust that you now know my standards.” Anne said.  
“Asides from an utility closet?” Richard asked. “I think I have the idea. Also I think you don’t plan losing your head, right? Unless if it is as in I am madly in love that I think I am losing my head.”  
“Get lost.” Anne said, “I don’t want you near me when Vero comes.”  
“Why?” He asked as she sat in the table.  
“I have my reasons.”  
“What?” Richard asked, “Your pride? Does Veronique knows about you and me in that utility room?”  
“There you go. From being an actual sort of decent guy to a complete ass.”  
“So I was being decent?”  
“Somehow. Now, go.”  
“So for next class I have to come to you with a poem, and I ravish you with words maybe, you’ll go out with me?” Richard asked.  
“I don’t know. Maybe yes, maybe no. You’ll see.”  
“Anne?” Richard asked this time as he kneeled in front of her.  
“What?”  
“Do you know that you are adorable?”  
Anne smiled at him before she pushed him away. 

Richard smiled, and stole a kiss from her lips, and he went away with a smile from ear to ear. Anne waited for Veronique for at least fifteen minutes, and then she went to Veronique’s dorm room.

“Isabel and I, we have offered you the extra room in our place.” Anne said when she saw her room.  
“I am comfortable here.”   
Anne was just accustomed to not sharing a room, and not sleeping on a twin size bed.  
“I don’t know how.” Anne sighed as she sat in the bed.  
“So how are you doing?” Veronique asked, “I have been really busy with work. I have not answered your calls.”   
“But you did texted me.” Anne said, which counts as an answer or reply.  
“Isabel said to me yesterday that you ruined her dinner with Mrs. York.”  
“It was not that. Richard was just being a jerk with me.”  
“He likes you.” Veronique said.  
“I am well aware of that. Hey, do you know Edoard Lancaster?”  
“I do know him. Why?”  
“He asked me out.” Anne said, “Sort of. If coffee counts as going out.”  
Veronique looked at Anne and noticed that some wicked thought was going around her brain.  
“Well, I think he is handsome.” Anne said.  
“Whom?” Veronique asked as she entered the bathroom to change her clothes, “Edoard?”  
“He has that French accent, which drove me mad.”  
“He can fake the Scottish, Welsh, English, and also makes a convincing Valley accent too.”  
“Valley accent?” Anne asked.  
“Nothing beats the French accent.”  
“Says the French girl!” Anne laughed.

Anne stayed there. She was helping Veronique with a Biology lab test that she was going to have the next day. Meanwhile, Richard went directly to his place and started googling poems that would make girls swoon. He didn’t liked them, and he knew, knowing Anne that she would type each word in Google to see if he had been lazy and just downloaded a poem.

Instead, he started to look for original things to do. He thought maybe ice-skating. He loved to ice skate. But if they went, they should go to a rink. Or maybe they could go to the farmer’s market, and buy the ingredients to cook their own food. He saw George entering with Isabel, and felt envy watching an actual Neville sister besides his brother.

“You here so early?” Richard asked as he closed his laptop.  
“What are you doing here so early?”George asked instead.  
“Homework?” Isabel asked, “Since when you do homework?”  
“Wait– let me guess . . . this has to do something with Anne?” George interrupted.  
“No . . . not really!” Richard answered as he took a tight hold on his laptop.  
“Why are you holding your computer so close?” Isabel asked.  
“I am writing an essay.” Richard said instead.  
“An essay?” George asked, “Since when you write essays?”  
Richard rolled his eyes at his brother, “It is part of my grade. I have to do it.”  
“Oh!” Isabel asked, “Do you mind if I look for something up. We are cooking, and I need to check the measuring.”   
“No.”  
“Okay!” Isabel said as she reached for George’s phone in his pocket before he went downstairs to get the other groceries.  
“Do you want me to eat too?” Isabel asked.  
“Yes. Can I ask you something?”  
“Is this about Anne?” Isabel asked.   
Richard hesitated for a few seconds before asking the question.  
“Yes it is.” He responded.  
“Go ahead.” Isabel responded.  
“Does your sister likes hiking?” Richard asked.  
“Anne? Hiking? You’ll have better chance to have her speak to you than to take her hiking.”  
“Does she likes um–”  
“If you are really trying to impress her, which it shocks, amuses, and disturb me, maybe you should try something more crafty. She does loves volunteering at the Children’s hospital.”  
“She does?”  
“She wants to be a doctor, Richard. She also loves kids, which is why she is going on that direction.” Isabel said as she sat next to him.  
“Children’s Hospital?” He asked. He didn’t like hospitals. He had spent almost a year of his life in them.  
“I don’t like hospitals.” Richard said.  
“She once volunteered to an orphanage. She likes helping people.”  
He now truly why she hated when he called her a pedophile. Her life practically would involve being around children.   
“Also, she is currently going to this place where she reads to children who have been abused, and assaulted. She’s like Mom!” Isabel laughed, “She can be rude, but she has so much compassion.”  
“Oh!” Richard sighed, making Isabel wonder what he had planned.  
“Well, I thought something really York to do.” Richard started, as he pointed to the grocery.  
“Going to the Fresh Market?” Isabel laughed, “Anne doesn’t like to go there.”  
“She doesn’t?”  
“She once got robbed while going with Mom to buy some fresh fruits.” Isabel explained.  
“What else does she likes?”  
“I shouldn’t be helping you.”  
“Why not?” Richard asked.  
“You slept with my sister in an utility room.” Isabel said.  
“I know, which I am trying to make better.” Richard said, “C’mon, Isabel. Wouldn’t it be amazing that your sister and I also dated, or maybe how it would be amazing if we got–”  
Isabel interrupted him, “You got what? Married?”  
“Hell no! I am way too young to get married. I am saying that it would be fun.” Richard laughed nervously as he ran his fingers through his hair, “I just wish to know how to actually please your so demanding, and high standards.”  
“Not high enough apparently. An utility room? That’s just low.” Isabel said as George came inside the apartment, with the company of his brother Edward and his sister Anne, who came by and asked Richard if he could babysit Annie while she went to run some errands.  
“We are actually having a grown-up night, Anne.”  
“Well, as your older sister I don’t give a damn. Richard, here is your niece. Make yourself useful.” Anne said as she handed him Little Anne’s bag with toys and her favourite new toy, which was now a stuffed penguin.”  
Anne looked at her brother George and asked if he had any problem with it, which made him shake his head and say that kids were allowed. “Good!”  
Richard went to his room with his niece as he continued to google things to do with Anne. The Anne besides his now playing Angry Birds on his phone, which surprised him when she was doing better than him.   
“Unshel Icha, oj?”  
“You want orange juice?” He asked her, as the little girl nodded without taking her eyes off the screen.  
“Okay little one.” He said when he stood up from the bed, “Do you want some crackers too?”  
“And cheese! I wove cheese!”  
“Stay there. Don’t touch my computer, and don’t try to fish out Mr. Fisher from his tank!” Richard said, remembering one time she did it because she wanted to speak with Mr. Fisher.  
The little girl nodded at her Uncle and continued to play her game. It was not long when Richard came, and found her trying to fish out Mr. Fisher from the tank. Richard yelled at her, making her cry.  
“You don’t grab them. Never, Annie!” Richard said.  
“Nemo. Looks like Nemo.” Anne said as she held her arms up to him.  
“C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up.” Richard said as he grabbed her. He walked to the bathroom, and prepared her a bath. She asked him for warm water, and told him to wait outside and close the door. He said no, but that he would close his eyes. Richard had to sit with his back resting against the tub.   
“I am not looking at you so I wont close my eyes.” Richard said as he started to look in her bag for her clean clothes.  
“I want Mr. Fisher.” Anne said.  
“Then maybe if you are a big girl I’ll get you one for your birthday.” Richard replied to her as he called for Isabel asking which of the pants looked better with the shirt.  
“Unshel Icha go.”  
Anne started saying that she preferred Isabel to watch her because she was a girl. Richard nodded at her, and went back to his room to clean the water that she had spilled when she first tried to fishnap Mr. Fisher.  
He then heard his phone ringing. It was Anne Neville.  
“Hey Anne!”  
“Can you tell my sister to call me back, I need to speak with her.” Anne said, sounding worried.  
“Are you okay?” Richard asked her.  
“Yes, just I just need to talk with her. Can you tell her to call me?” Anne asked as she drew on her cast some flowers and stars.  
“Okay, I will tell her. But before you hang-up. Would you like to go to a boat ride?”  
“Boat ride?” Anne asked.  
“I am not going to write you poems because I suck at that. I tried. But have you ever been on a pedal boat?”  
“A pedal boat?”  
Richard laughed, and said that it was incredibly fun to do, “Come on Anne. Trust me. It will be fun.”  
Anne remained silent for a few seconds, and then asked him, “You wont stop asking, will you?”   
 “I will not!”   
"Okay, I'll will. Just tell Isabel to call me." Anne said before hanging up.

He did it. He did it. He was going on a date with the only girl he had met that had made him work so hard in his entire life.


	11. Chapter 11

Anne hardly slept. She felt excited. She really did felt. She couldn’t stop thinking of Richard kissing her neck as he filled her with pleasure. The smell of his hair, and how will occasionally will lower his head to suchk on her breasts. It was one night. Only one night that they shared together, but they tried so many different things. He was dominant. He was submissive. He was rough. He was also gentle. She felt smitten by him. When he smiled at her saying that he was very jealous, he used his smile while he did the thing he does with his eyes which really was giving her butterflies on the stomach.

On the order hand, Richard realized that taking a lady who had a cast on to a boat ride was not a good idea. So he called her at two in the morning that it wasn’t a good idea.

“I was thinking of you. I cannot stop thinking about you.” Richard said, as he ran his fingers through his hair.  
“Do you want to skip tomorrow?”Anne asked, really shocking Richard.  
“Anne Neville, are you drunk?” Richard asked.  
“No. While I’ll be drunk?” Anne asked.  
“I usually have to call you four or five times before you answer. Isabel must be here.”  
“Iz not here.” Anne noted, “And I am not drunk.” Anne said to Richard as she looked through her closet, “I was actually studying for a lab I have on Wednesday.”  
“It is two in the morning. What are you doing awake?” Anne asked Richard. In reality, she was looking for something nice to wear.  
“As I said before, I have been thinking of you all night.” He repeated, “Wait, are you alone?”  
“Yeah why?”  
“Do you want me to come by? Tuck you in?”  
“I just said yes to you for a date, and you already want to get in my bed.”  
“It is raining outside.” Richard noted, “You are alone in your apartment. The security guard could be an actual sociopath who preys on petite young woman with dirty blonde hair and cerulean eyes.”  
Anne started to laugh, “Cerulean eyes?”  
“Your eyes are not any blue, Anne. They are cerulean blue.”  
“You are still on probation with me, Richard.” Anne started, “Just because I said yes, and if it could be tomorrow–”  
“Actually today.” Richard corrected her, “Which is okay. I am up for anything you give me. Are you sure that you don’t want me to go and stay with you? It’s two in the morning now. We could start our date now.”  
“Now?” Anne asked, “And it is not a date. We are just to classmates–”  
“You know what? I am not getting any sleep tonight so I am going to drive to your place. Bring something to eat and we can talk about your favourite movie, and what you do like to do besides me. Also, how was your family while growing up.”  
“Seems like you have made your mind up.” Anne pointed out as she noticed that Richard was gathering up all his courage.  
“So can I go?” Richard asked.  
“Can you?”  
“May I go?” Richard asked her again as he reached for his shirt.  
“I don’t know. My Daddy doesn’t like it when we bring boys in here during the night.” Anne teased when she stood up to started to go to the bathroom to brush her teeth.  
“Your Daddy?” He teased her.  
“Yes.”  
“You can come here, but it would be really weird when Isabel wakes up during the morning and finds you here. In my bedroom. Sleeping on my bed.”  
“If you come here you’ll be sleeping in the couch.” Anne said.  
“I’ll sleep in the tub if you want me to.” Richard smiled.  
“There is no need to sleep in the tub. You have your own car.” Anne said as she tried to hold in her laugh.  
“I’ll sleep in the cold, wet, pavement if you want me to.” Richard added.  
“Okay. You can come. But get your mind off the gutter. Nothing is going to happen.” Anne warned him. Richard was just finding it difficult to breath. The conversation itself was just arousing him   
“Okay. You better control yourself.” Richard warned her instead, “If you remember very well–”  
“I threw a beer at you, York. I can easily say no and you’ll–”  
“Okay. I’ll behave,but only if you behave.” Richard said, “If you bite me, I’ll bite you back.”

Tell me what you think! :)


	12. Chapter 12

In less than twenty minutes, Richard was at Anne’s apartment complex. When the guard asked his name, he said instead George York because he knew that George was on the list that there was no need to call. The guard let him in, and he parked in the guest area, and then buzzed her.  
Anne was taking a shower. Not that she planned to sleep with him, or anything. She just did not trust herself when she was alone with him. She wanted to smell nice. When she heard the buzz, and then her phone ring, Anne almost broke her other foot. She quickly rinsed and dressed into her nice pyjamas which in reality were some yoga pants and a v-neck t-shirt. She pushed her hair back and walked to the door to open. 

“You must be very jealous.” Anne pointed out when she opened the door to let him in.  
“I am very jealous.”  
“Is there a sociopath around?” Anne asked, “Someone who preys on young, blonde, cerulean blue eyed, petite woman. Wait, that may be you.”  
“Haha that’s really funny.” Richard laughed sarcastically as he entered.

It was awkward because they stared for a few minutes before Richard kissed her cheek and told her that he smiled nice.

“Aww, you showered for me.” Richard said when he caught the scent of her body wash. Anne frowned at him and attempted to close the door, but he blocked it with his foot.  
“That’s a Victoria’s Secret scent, right?” He asked her.  
“How do you know that?”  
“I have three sisters who were brought up by my Mother. Our bathrooms practically smelled like Secret Charm, or Strawberry & Champagne. I consider myself a fan of Pear Glace, and Pure Seduction.You are wearing Pure Seduction, aren’t you?”  
“Yes.” Anne said, “And I showered hours ago.” Anne lied as he let him pass giving him a towel to get dry from the rain.  
“Really?” Richard asked when she closed the door.  
“Yes.”  
“Why is your hair wet? Also, why do you have soap on your ears?”  
“I shouldn’t have allowed you to come. You are back on your dirty tracks.”  
“Well, you shouldn’t have greeted me smelling like that. You are biting me Anne. Teasing me.”   
“What’s this?” Anne asked as she opened the bag. He had brought strawberries, chocolate spread, whipped cream and also vanilla ice cream, package of almonds and some cookie wafers.  
“I think that it is pretty self explanatory Doctor Neville.” Richard started, “I am going to make you a sundae.”  
“A sundae?”  
“Ice cream, toppings? Did you ever went for a sundae on a Sunday night with you parents when you were a little girl?” Richard asked.  
“More like after school whenever Mom picked me up from school we went for gelatos.”  
“Nice.” Richard answered.

They were pretty awkward for at least ten minutes, until Richard gathered his courage and started to prepare the sundaes while Anne just stood in front of him while leaning over the counter. Richard smirked at her and gave her a strawberry.

“Taste it. I have a theory. The larger the strawberry is, the better it taste.” Richard said as he leaned over the counter to and held it in front of her face.  
“Open your mouth.” He said as Anne shook her head.  
“No.”  
“It’s too big.”  
“The bigger the more flavour it has, Anne.” Richard said making Anne open her mouth to take a rather big mouth which really surprised Richard.  
“How were you when you grew up?” Richard asked her.  
“How do you think I was?” Anne asked.  
“I know you were a gymnast.” Richard said.  
“How do you know that?” Anne asked. 

She had never ever told him about that. Nor he had ever been in her room to him to see the collage she had about herself which included tons of pictures of her achievements.

“Isabel told me. You broke your wrists.”  
“I was a little girl.” Anne pointed out.  
“What about you?” Anne asked.  
“You never answered my question.” Richard answered as he crushed the almonds.  
Anne walked into the kitchen and grabbed a knife to start cutting the strawberries, “I don’t know.” She laughed, “I guess well it depends. Do you mean physically or as in personality. I was really chubby back then. They called me Mrs. Pillsbury.”  
“Isabel told me that too.” Richard said.  
“What else has she told you about me?” Anne asked as she hit the knife against the fruit cutting board.  
“Put the knife down and I’ll tell you.” Richard pointed out.  
“What?” Anne asked, “Afraid that I’ll stab you with it?”  
“You did threw a beer at me.” Richard pointed out.  
“Did she told you that I ate dirt one time? She always tells that to every guy that I like and–”  
Richard smiled at her as he placed the almonds down.  
“Did . . . did– you just said that you like me?” Richard asked amazed, still with the smile on his face.

He heard her. Simple words they were, and he was able to hear them. There was no way for Anne to deny this. Her reaction told him yes. Her body language told him yes. Her eyes told him yes. Richard reached for her hand, and pulled the knife away from her hand and pushed it to the side. With a smile, as he leaned towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Did you just said that you like me?” Richard asked.

Anne remained silent while she thought her words. He was now leaning closer to her, his nose was touching hers. His lips a few inches away from hers.

“I think that you are handsome.” Anne started as she looked at the clock. It was now three in the morning, “Very good-looking.”  
“What else?” Richard asked as he placed a kiss on her cheek.  
“You can be a nerd at times.” Anne added as Richard lowered his lips to the her jaw, “A really hot one.”  
“You think I am a good-looking nerd?” Richard asked, “What else do you like about me?”  
“I like your voice and–.” Anne gasped when Richard’s mouth traveled to the curve of her neck. 

That spot was her Achilles’ heel. She threw her head back, allowing Richard to kiss her sternum. The tension between them was just too strong, which made Richard ask where they could continue this activity in a place where there no knives. Anne told him to the couch, so when they walked there, Richard pushed to pillows away and sat in the sofa. Anne told him to take his shirt off when she straddled him, which Richard told him that he would only do it if she did the same. It was now a battle of wills. Who will take the shirt off first.

Richard accepted his defeat first, and proceeded to take his shirt off with Anne’s shirt.

“Are you sure that Isabel is at your place with George?” Anne asked as Richard tore her t-shirt.  
“Yes.” Richard groaned when Anne started to rub herself against Richard, “Anne!”  
Anne’s lips found Richard’s while he struggled to take her brassier off.  
“Where is the damn clip?” Richard groaned when his hands searched in the back.

Anne untangled her hands from his hair and placed them on her waist. She whispered in his ear to be patient, but when her hands traveled to the zipper in his pants, he pinned her down to the sofa and separated her hands. With a good grip on them, Richard kissed her valley between her breasts. It was so soft to his lips, and warm to his lips. He begged her to take her brassier off. He said that he took his shirt off and that his chest was now bare.

“You are not keeping promises, Anne.” Richard grunted when Anne’s finger ran through his torso.  
“No.” Anne whispered.  
“Then I am not taking my pants off!” Richard complained.  
“Good, because I am not taking mine off!”

 

Anne surely did wanted her pants off. She wanted to wrap her bare legs around his hips while he kissed her. His hands were now traveling south. He broke the love-making his lips where having his her breasts, and traveled down to kiss her belly. Having him so near her sex, made her feel more aroused than she already was, but she did not wanted to give in so easily. She wanted him to beg her. He wanted him to earn it. So Anne did something that Richard did not expected. She pushed him away and sat besides him as she reached for her shirt. She clipped her bra once again, and then slid her shirt back on.

 

Richard looked at her, “What was that?”  
“I may want it. I want it badly, but you are not going to have it that easy. We are supposed to go on a boat ride later today.” Anne said, “You are going to buy me decent dinner, and you still owe me letters and poems Richard. The only thing you’ll get from me may have been those kisses.”  
“I can work with that.” Richard said, “At least today.”  
Anne stood up as she finished her ice cream. “Clean up the kitchen, and you may sleep in the sofa.”  
“It is cold, Anne. Are you sure that you don’t want me to go with you? I promise that I will behave.”

The problem was that neither of them could behave when they were alone. Anne smiled at him before telling him good night.

“Good night, Richard.”   
Her lips missed his, but that was completely intentional, leaving Richard with his pucker up.  
“I’ll be here!” Richard yelled when she locked her door. Her Dad had made the doors in the apartment have three locks. He just couldn’t leave his daughters without proper protection, “If you need me.”

Both of them got to their beds. Anne hopped into hers, while Richard sat in the sofa before checking the door was locked. Both of them thought of each other. Both of them thought of each other’s touch, each other’s scent, each other’s caress. It was going to be a long day for them. It was now just only 3:10AM.

 

Richard thanked Isabel. He thanked her for the dirt story. If it wasn’t for that story, he wouldn’t have made the move. He wouldn’t have heard the words ‘she always tells that to every guy that I like–’. If it wasn’t for those words, he wouldn’t be smiling as he was. He was very jealous of any guy asking her out. He was jealous to the slightest idea of any guy actually kissing her, and she kissing them. On that moment, Richard York realized that he not only loved the girl two doors and three locks away from him. He realized that he was MADLY in love with her.


	13. Chapter 13

He was drooling on the couch. He had taken of his shirt and his pants. Anne turned on the heater and the couch was just under the heater. He woke up not because of it, but because of the banging on the door. 

Someone yelling for Anne.   
Then he was able to recognize the voice.  
It was Isabel’s voice. 

“Come on Anne! I need to change clothes.”

Richard stood up and slowly walked to the door to see through the eye. It was Isabel yes, still wearing the shirt from the day before.

“No one will notice, Isabel.” George said, but it took a few minutes to realize that it was his brother’s voice.He quickly crossed the restricted area set by Anne and knocked on her door.

“Annie!” Richard knocked on the door but she didn’t answer, “Anne!”

Anne was deep asleep. She couldn’t hear Isabel calling at her, nor Richard knocking on her door. Then the phone rang. Anne’s phone. Anne reached for it like a zombie and answered.

“What?” Anne asked.  
“You are not at school?” Isabel asked her over the phone.  
“I know.” Anne mumbled, “Open up–”  
“Are you doing the walk of shame?” Anne asked suddenly becoming wide awake.

She then remembered it. She remembered him. Richard was there, making her to quickly ended the call and opened her door. Richard had in his hands his pants and his shirt, along with his socks and shoes.

“Isabel and George. They are–”

Anne pushed Richard inside her room and told him to hide there.

“Does the restriction area rule is now gone?” Richard asked as he leaned towards her to kiss her.  
“For now.” Anne said as she closed the door in his face.  
Isabel asked her why she was not in school. Anne invented an excuse, telling her sister that she pinched her little finger of her leg with the cast with the door and that it hurt whenever she walked.  
Isabel looked at her sister skeptically before going to her room to change her shirt. Meanwhile, Anne looked at George who was looking at her.  
“My brother is hot for you.” George said.  
“Which one?” Anne joked as she rubbed her eyes.  
“Hahaha. Hilarious, Anne. Richard.”  
“Oh, I know. But he can only fantasize about it.” Anne said before going to the kitchen. Isabel came out of her room, and asked why she locked every single lock if she knew that she wasn’t there.  
“What if there is a sociopath running around who happens to pray on petite, dark blond, cerulean blue eyed young women?” Anne asked Isabel.  
“Oh, you two stop the bickering. Isabel let’s go. I am already late for my 8:30am class.”   
Isabel grabbed her purse, and told Anne not to lock the door tonight.  
“I’ll be late, but I’ll come.”   
Anne nodded as she pushed George out the door, and then her sister.  
“What is it with you?” Isabel asked.  
“I haven’t had my cup of coffee.” Anne said before closing the door on their feet, and looking through the window to see if they had left.  
Anne quickly made her way to her room only to find it locked.   
“Richard! Open up!” Anne knocked on the door.  
Richard opened the door before going back to Anne’s bed.  
“Get off.” Anne warned as she entered her room.  
“Your biggest mistake was pushing me inside of your cave.”  
“Cave?” Anne asked, “This is not a cave. This is my sanctuary, now get out.”  
Richard smiled at her as he pulled the sheets to his face.   
"Get out, Richard. It was a stupid idea, Richard. Get out!" Anne said as she rubbed her eyes, "I am tired."  
"You pushed me, and hid me inside your room yourself, Neville. You didn’t want to spend the night with me, but now you regret the idea. I am not stepping off your bed even if it is a life or death matter: an earthquake, volcano eruption, a hurricane, the zombie or biblical apocalypse. I am warm in here, and I am also really tired. Let’s rest together."

Anne eyes were really heavy for her now, so she didn’t even realize that she had gotten into the bed. As she arranged her pillow, Richard slowly and gently placed his hand on the curve of her waist. He was cold at the touch while her skin was warm. Anne gasped as his touch, but quickly closed her eyes.Richard said as he started to caress Anne’s waist, and then slid his arm and rested it on her waist. He pulled up Anne’s blanket and kissed her shoulder.

“I was thinking. Your cast, wouldn’t that make it hard for you to move around to where I am taking you today.”  
“Where are you taking me today?” Anne asked.  
“A place that I like to go on my own.” Richard said as he pushed away the hair from her shoulders to kiss.  
“Where?” Anne asked as she turned to meet his face.  
“Two hours upstate.” Richard smiled.  
“Are you kidnapping me?” Anne asked making Richard laugh at her instant thoughts, “Or is this a place where you always take girls when you are dying to sleep with them.”  
Richard snickered at her, “I am not kidnapping you–”  
“True, but you are dying to hear me say yes, don’t you?”  
“And you are not?” He asked her as he climbed over her. Anne stayed still. She remained motionless.   
“Do you want me to kiss you?”   
“Where is the two hour upstate place that you are taking me?”  
“My family’s beach house.” Richard answered her before leaning over her to kiss her, “Unless you say here and now, that you want me to be your boyfriend and then we can go on to doing what we are so much dying to do.”  
“Beach?” Anne asked, “You are taking me to your family’s beach house?”  
“I was thinking that it would be better than a boat ride–”  
“You think that after one date I will say yes to you? Girlfriend?” Anne interrupted.  
“Well, why not?”  
“I hardly know you. We may have skipped various steps in our relationship–”  
“So we have a relationship then?” Richard asked her, “What kind?”  
“Acquaintances.” Anne said, “We are getting to know each other, Richard.”  
“I know it Anne, but will you let you kiss you now?”

Anne nodded, which made him smile and first kiss her lips, then her neck. He spent a large amount of time in her neck, making her moan, just like he did not more than five hours ago. Anne permitted his hands travel under her her shirt, which he used to cup her breasts. Anne arched her back for Richard to unhook her bra. He pushed her shirt up allowing to accommodate his head to suck on her breasts. She now remembered why she liked. He started softly, kissing her around her breasts, then moving to the centre of her breast making her shut her eyes and gasp in pleasure. He looked at her and chuckled before he started to suck on her nipple while with his other hand, he groped her other breast. She moaned his name. She moaned Richard out loud. He couldn’t help it but smile. She was so uptight, so proud, and she was now asking her to continue. He kept kissing her, caressing her body, and as he did that, he traveled down, leaving a trail of wet kisses. He could feel how aroused Anne was. She pulled him up so she could kiss him and told him to take her pants off, which Richard smiled at. She was ready for him. He felt it when he first slipped his finger into her, and then started massaging her, adding another finger.  
Anne groaned. She moaned his name, and complained when he took out his finger which were almost getting her to wonderland.  
“What are you doing?” Anne asked as she sat in disappointment.  
Richard kissed her, “I am doing exactly what you did to me earlier today.” He whispered with a smile before he stood up, “Now, I’ll leave you alone so you can get dress so we can get there already.”  
In frustration, Anne let her head fall back to the pillow.  
“I hate you.” She groaned.  
“No. You like me, and love me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KARMA! Comment and let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

 

Anne was mad at Richard for what he did to her when she woke up. He showed her heaven but did not open the gates for her to enter paradise. Anne still, pissed at him,asked Richard as he drove to see if he had a good music selection. Anne first critique was why on earth did he had CDs when he had an iPhone.

“I like CDs better than the iPhone.” Richard responded as he gave her the CD pack.

The second critique was when she saw the type of music that he had. Soundtracks of movies like Star Wars, the Avengers, Harry Potter, and then what made her really laugh was that he had the CDs of the latests Disney Movies on there. Tangled, Brave and Frozen.

“Let it go, Anne!” Richard said before going into a laughter session that made him stop to take a breath, and for his cheeks to turn back fro red to cream.

“That’s the lamest joke that I have heard.” Anne said.

“You don’t like Frozen?” He asked, “I have seen it with Annie like a million times now that I am her favourite babysitter.”

“It is not that I do not like it. It is just that is stupid. How can a human have ice powers?”

“You mean cryokinesis?” Richard corrected her.

Anne rolled his eyes at him, “You are such a dork.”

“I think I cannot date you if you don’t like Frozen.” Richard said, “Or Elsa.”

“We are not dating, Richard.” Anne reminded him.

“I know, I know. But still, if you want me to make you get there, you have to Let it go, or sing Under the Sea with me.”

“I liked you better when you wore your leather jacket, black shirt and tried to be cool!” Anne said as she brushed her hair.

“Of course you did. Tell me, Anne. Does knowing that I am not as shallow as you thought makes me ugly to you?”

“No. It makes you weird, which I like.” Anne said, “Somehow I like it. Tell me Richard, what do you want to do when you grow up? I want to be a surgeon. Have my own practice, but also be a surgeon. What about you?”

“I don’t know.” Richard sighed, “You sound like my Mother now.”

“You are a sophomore, Richard. Are you lost? I do not date guys who do not have plans for their life?”

“Well in that case, I like drawing. Taking photos. I like to act. I am an amazing actor.” He said as changed lanes, “I could be an actor, counsellor or an architect.”

“An actor?” Anne laughed.

“I was in my High School production of the Little Mermaid. I was Prince Eric.”

“I can see!” Anne said referring to his dark hair.

Richard looked at her from head to toe, “You were the cheerleader, didn’t you?” 

Anne laughed at his guess, “No.”

“No?” He asked surprised, “But weren’t you a gymnast.”

“I was a gymnast, if I could call myself that. I was more like the science/chemistry geek.”

“Did you smoke the vapor of–”

“That was my dear friend Nate. He actually got in trouble for that and ended up going to the hospital only to– it was not me.”

“What happened to him?” He asked her, “Did he got expelled?”

Anne felt uncomfortable with it Nathaniel was her first love. Her best friend who ended up breaking her heart in the hardest way.

“No. I don’t want to talk about it.” Anne snapped.

“Oh!” Richard gasped, “He was your boyfriend, right?”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it, York.”

Richard understood to leave the subject out when he saw Anne lower the window to breath fresh hair.

“I am sorry, Anne.” He said as he reached for her hand.

“He sort of died a few years ago.” Anne whispered.

“Sort of?”

“Hush!”

“I am sorry.” Richard said.

“Hit-and-run.” Anne explained, “He was never the same after it.”

“Why?”

“We don’t have– I don’t want to have this talk.” Anne grunted. She was not up to it. Not there. Not while he drove.

Richard smiled at her. He did not wish to tell her his story. Probably it wouldn’t make any good on his part. 

“I actually grew up where we are going.” Richard said changing the subject, “I went to school there.”

“You were a beach boy?” Anne asked, curiosity making her imagine Richard in a bathing suit.

“I was, but indoors.” Richard laughed, “Do you know how hard it is to take sand off this hair?” 

“Actually I do, Richard.” Anne said, “I have long hair, which is practically the same when it comes to–”

“No it isn’t. If I had straight hair like you, my life would be so easy. I could get up twenty minutes before class, and then go take a coffee, and then get there.”

“I like your hair.” Anne said, “It is all over the place.”

“I like your face.” Richard said, “Even though you don’t like to sing along to Let It Go, I still like you.”

Anne looked at him and rolled her eyes, “I could have smiled at you now, but what you said last, and did to me this morning just killed the possibility.” Anne said, making him smash the wheel with his hand.

 

* * *

* * *

 

He took the boat out and he started paddling.

“So you are between psychology or theatre?” Anne asked him. She only had core classes with him, and she really did not had a clue.

“Yes.” Richard said as he paddled.

“Theatre?” Anne laughed, “You want to be an actor?” 

“I am good looking. I am also talented, and I have really good hair.”

“You do have good hair.” Anne laughed.

“Do you want to feel it?” He asked her making Anne shake her head.

“I have already felt it.” Anne said, “Why psychology?” 

“I don’t know, I always seems to figure out everyone’s problems.”

“Will you help me with one?” Anne asked.

“I know which one. There is this man. He is handsome, dark hair, with dark green eyes and his name is Richard and he’s driving me crazy.”

“That could be my Dad.” Anne said, “He is handsome, dark curly hair, and his name is also Richard and is driving me crazy.”

“Oh shut up!” Richard said disgusted, “Are you serious? Wait– isn’t your Mother’s name Anne?”

“Yes, why?”

“Your Dad is Richard?”

“Where are you getting with this?” Anne asked.

“ We are meant to be dating, Anne. Your parents, they share our names.”

“Are you serious? Why would you want to date me? Give me ten good reasons.” Anne asked.

“Because you are smoking hot!”

“You should have left that one as number ten.”

“Okay,” Richard sighed, “You are smart. Really smart. Your brain turns me on.”

“My brain. How can my brain turn you on when it is a grey squishy thing?” Anne asked.

“You tend to take things literal, which is number two.” 

“Keep going?” Anne laughed.

“You have a nice voice. You also have a nice laugh, a really funny one, but cute.” Richard added.

“Okay, stop it there York. You are embarrassing me.”

“Why?” Richard asked with a smile, almost shutting his eyes because of the sun.

“Nothing.”

“Has no one ever told you that you are really beautiful?” He asked her.

“Yes, they have.” Anne answered as she took her sunglasses off and gave them to Richard.

“Besides your parents, grandparents and Isabel?”

“Yes. I was voted best smile in my Senior class.” Anne smiled.

“They were so right!” Richard said as he looked at the sunglasses, “They are pink.”

“Real men pull pink off.” Anne noted with a snigger.

“Is that a dare?” 

“If you don’t want them give them to me. You are the one paddling facing the sun.” 

Richard took the sunglasses and put them on, “How do I look?”

What Anne did not liked about Richard was that he was too damn smug.

“You are so vain!” Anne gasped.

“Says the girl who brushed her hair like four times on our way here.”

“You rolled the windows of the car down!” Anne pointed out in her defense.

Richard laughed at her choice of words, “Rolled? This isn’t the 90s, Anne.”

“I was born in the 1990s and I’ll say it however it pleases me!”

“You are not spontaneous, but you are up to adventure.” Richard said.

“What are you talking about?” Anne asked.

“You like to have things planned with time, but if there is a chance to have fun you jump without thinking it twice. That’s my fifth.”

“Your sixth?” Anne asked.

“I thought you were too embarrassed!” He laughed.

“Oh well, don’t tell me. I do not need your compliments.”

“You are really stubborn. I like that. You are also really proud of yourself. Isabel told me that you volunteer in the Children's Hospital whenever you can.”

That hit her. She damned Isabel in her head. 

“She told you that.” Anne sighed.

“There’s no reason to be embarrassed by that.” Richard said reaching for her hand

“I am not embarrassed.” Anne said pulling her hand away.

“Good! I wish I had the patience to do it. I just don’t like hospitals.” Richard responded awkwardly after Anne pulling her hand away.

“You want to be a doctor?” He asked.

“I always wanted to be a surgeon.”

“Ew!” Richard said, “Blood and guts.”

“There is nothing wrong about that! You are made of blood and guts. Do you feel disgusted by yourself?”

“It is not that. I know what I am. What humans are made of. I just like it when everything is inside. Not outside.”

“You puked when you dissected a frog on High School, didn’t you?” Anne asked before remembering something about him, “Wait, wait a minute. I heard a rumour about one of the York brothers puking in Biology Lab on my Freshman year. Was it you?”

Richard looked awkwardly at Anne and he was sort of frowning and at the same time as if he wanted to cry.

“I did not puked! I felt disgusted and I left.” Richard cried out loud, “Why do people have the need of telling lie? I didn’t puke. I left the lab, and asked the teacher for a make-up work which he did not give me and I got forty point less in the lab.”

Anne started to laugh. 

“It isn’t funny Anne. They were actual organs. Human organs. It wasn’t a frog, it was a liver, and a freaking heart. It was disgusting and I couldn’t take it, and I may have vomited in the bathroom, not in the room.”

“Oh York! You are making my day with this. I will tweet this and clear your reputation.” Anne teased as she reached for her phone.

“There is no reception out here.” Richard said, referring to the fact that they were at least half a mile from the coast.

“Of course there is.” Anne said when she saw the complete bars.

“No!” Richard said as Anne stood up, “Give me that phone.”

“No I wont!” She was typing now. Richard was frightened now.

“Anne, stop it! I confided in you.” Richard confessed as he pulled Anne down, “Sit down or we are going to fall.”

“I have perfect balance.” 

“You are going to fall, and your phone is going to get . . . actually go ahead, and fall.”

Anne frowned and looked at him.

“I am only siting down because I am wearing a cast.” She noted.

“You are awfully proud too.”

“Excuse me?” She asked.

“Seventh. The eighth is that you are really quirky. You curl your hair when you are stressed and you always crack your knuckles.”

“Have you been stalking me?” Anne asked.

“Pretty much my entire college career. You know that Spanish wasn’t out first class together, right?”

“Yes it was. I would now.”

Richard shook his head. He was going to enjoy telling her this.

“Anthropology class, freshman level.” Richard said, “You had a red Kipling backpack, and you had this water bottle that had paws printed on.”

“Oh my God!” Anne gasped, “How can I not remember that?”

“You wouldn’t. I sat straight in the back of the lecture room. I had glasses, and I used to style my hair differently.”

“Did you ironed it?”

“I was with this girl who liked my hair short. I did not ironed it. Do you think I was a Jonas Brothers?”

“You know about the Jo Bros?” Anne asked. Those were her days.

“I have three sisters. Of course I knew about them. They had their room– do you want to go back and see their rooms? They are still the same. Meg was infatuated by the little one.”

“I was more of a Joe girl.”

“What was your teenage celebrity crush?” Anne asked with a smile.

“Natalie Dormer. I love her. She is so damn gorgeous, and she has that wicked smile. She’s like a siren.”

“It is the end of the world. You only have one night left, and you are given the choice to sleep with her or with me. Who do you choose?” Anne asked.

That was a though question for him. Natalie Dormer was his ideal woman. Hot, blond, and perfect. Anne was the real deal for him. 

“You, but we already slept together. Natalie Dormer would be the ideal choice.”

Anne opened her eyes big and wide, her mouth did the same.

“You serious?” She asked, “I cannot believe this!”

“I said ideal choice would be that one, but it doesn’t mean that it is my final choice.”

“Trying to fix it up now when you have already screwed with it.” Anne said as Richard leaned over her.

“What are you doing?” Anne asked.

“Shut up and kiss me. You are dying to, and so am I.”

Anne pushed away, putting a struggle at first with laughter and saying that he was over his head, but at the end she made it easier for him and gave in. 

His lips.

Anne’s lips.

They were perfect.

He was a good kisser.

She was a naughty kisser.

Neither of them expected it. 

But the kiss that they were sharing was not the only thing that was wet, after all they were half a mile away from the coast.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment please! I pushed through my writer's block and finally got where I wanted. Tell me if it was really pushed and blah!


	15. Chapter 15

 

Anne insisted that they should go back to the shore. She wanted to dry her cast, and get out of the wet clothes that she was wearing, and maybe save her iPhone which made Richard laughed

“Your phone is ruined, Anne.”

“I am positive that there is still a chance of hope.” Anne said as she climbed the stairs of the York’s house.

“It is an iPhone, Anne, not a Nokia.”

“I am trying to be positive.” Anne explained, “This phone is new. Dad gave it to me as a Christmas present.”

“Well you may now have to use your tears explaining of it fell on the tub.”

“It didn’t fell there.”

“But your Daddy doesn’t now that.” He said as he opened the door with the key, “It may not be dusty, but trust me that there is nothing on the fridge. How about you take a shower and I find you some dry clothes to wear?”

Anne was now not paying attention to what he was saying. She was looking at the many pictures in the wall. Pictures of the York family. She could see Edward and George, and a little toddler that must have been Richard because of the hair.

“Is that you?” Anne asked.

“Wasn’t I a beautiful baby?” He asked her with a smirk.

“You were pretty cute.” Anne continued as she kept looking at the pictures, “You Mother was really pretty!” 

“Are you saying that she is no longer pretty?” Richard teased.

“No. I am just saying–”

“I know what you are saying. I am teasing you Anne.” Richard said as he turned on the lights of the hall, stoppingto give her some towels.

“Is this you?” Anne asked as she looked at one of the frames. She was confused. Same hair, and eyes but there was something different about it, “Richard?”

“No.” Richard said as he took a deep breath, “That’s my brother Edmund.”

“You boys have never mentioned him.” Anne pointed out, “What university is he attending? Is he abroad?”

_In a sense he is,_ Richard thought.

“No.”

“You never mentioned that you had another brother.”

“I _had_ another brother.”

“You _had_?” Anne asked not really understanding, “What do you mean?”

“He died a few years ago.”

“How?” Anne asked, her curiosity getting the best of her

Richard gave her a silent nasal laugh, making Anne instantly realize what she had asked.

“I am so sorry. I did not mean– you do not have to tell me. I am–”

“It is okay.” Richard said, “The bathroom is the third door in the second floor to the left.”

“I did not mean to intrude. I’m sorry.”

“It is okay,give me your clothes so I can wash them and put them in the drier.”

“Richard, I meant it. I did not mean to intrude.”

“It is okay. Go and shower.” Richard said.

“Third door in the second floor to the left?” Anne asked.

“Yes. There must be soap there, and some hair products. Mom always makes sure that there some basic stuff.”

“Okay.”

Anne climbed up the stairs, making Richard feel sorry for her because of the cast which made him help her climb. He showed her the bathroom even though he was well aware that she knew where it was. He waited for her to give him her wet pants, and shirt. He asked for her underwear too, which made Anne open the door to tell him that they were inside of her shirt and pants. 

Richard was amused by her sudden sense of privacy of hiding her underwear.

“Don’t peek!”

With that she closed the door, and turned on the shower. Richard went to his room and looked for some clothes for him and her to wear. He did not had a lot of clothing,but he did have a few pairs of pants and shirts. He left them in the foot of the door, and knocked to tell her that they were there. After putting the wet clothes, his and Anne’s, in the washing machine.

He looked in the fridge and the only thing that he saw was water. He looked in the pantry, again more bottled water, chick pears and corn.He turned on the TV, just for the sake of the noise, and waited for Anne to see if she was hungry, which she must be. It was now four o’clock. If she was not, there was something wrong with her.

After ten minutes or so, he heard her steps. Her cast knocking against the floor. She asked him if she could use the hair dryer downstairs, which it made him laugh. _Since when those Anne Neville asks for permission?_

“If you find an empty outlet.” Richard said as he walked towards her, “I was looking at the fridge, and there is nothing there. Are you hungry Anne?”

“Yes.”

“What do you wish to eat?” He asked her, this time noticing how good she looked on his shirt. 

“I don’t know.” Anne answered.

“There . . . there are chick peas and corn. Water. There is . . . there is a lot of water.” 

Anne sat on the floor, plugging the cable to the outlet.

“Do you want to order some pasta? Pizza? There are some good–”

“I’ll be okay with pasta.” Anne smiled. Richard did not understood if she was feeling awkward or if there was something bothering her.

“Are you okay?” Richard asked her, “You seem rather distracted.”

Anne hesitated for the first few seconds.

“What is it?” He asked her.

Anne closed her eyes, her hand was moving upside down. Her thumb and index finger were as if they were glued together.

“What is it?” He asked her again making her look up.

“I am the weirdest person in this world.”

“I know that.” 

“Yet, you don’t mind it.”

“What is this about? Truly? Have I made you uncomfortable?”

‘Well you have, in the past.” Anne laughed, “But not know.”

“What are you trying to say?” Richard asked as he kneeled in front of her.

“Don’t play with my heart.”

“Why would you think I am playing with your heart?”

“I have only had one boyfriend– that one broke my heart. I do give myself to anyone, but I find it so easily to let now my guard off with you.”

“What are you trying to say, Anne?”

“You know very well. I know that you do not plan for returning back to the city.”

“Do you want to go back?”

“I want to go back if your intentions are not the same as mine.”

“A day ago you despised me.”

“Did I?” Anne laughed, “Did I or did I not.”

“Are you saying that you have been masking your love towards me with hate?”

“More like despise. You are everything I am not. You said you yourself that I was not spontaneous.”

“I am sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

“I am not spontaneous. I may act like I am, but I like having everything planned, and know what I am going to do or what I might expect from people. I need what are your intentions towards me. You say that I am pretty, and that you are jealous of others being around me. Do you means those words?”

“I do mean them, Anne.”

“What are your intentions towards me? You invite me to your childhood home and I want to know if that means something, or if I am reading too much into it?”

“No you are not. I have said many times what my intentions are towards you. They remain the same.”

TO BE CONTINUED

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will begin where this one ended. Comment and let me know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

 

Neither of them remembered the words that they said, or if they indeed said any words at all. All that they knew was that they were gently kissing each other’s lips. There was no teasing in their kisses. Only tender kissing. He would rubbed his nose against hers, as he pushed her hair behind her ear.

“Now you must really think that I am a nut case.” 

He stood up and extended his hand to her, which she took. He smiled at her, and sighed. Anne looked up nervously at him. He was looking at her weirdly. His eyes were tender, and his hands were also as he strong.

He guided her upstairs to his room.

“Before we enter. Ignore the posters on the walls, and the pictures. I can be sentimental. Much to everyone’s surprise I have a warm heart inside my chest cavity.”

Anne laughed at the pictures he had, and posters.

“I thought you were a bad boy.” Anne laughed, “A rebel bad boy.” 

He had a poster of a little dog above the headboard of the bed. His rug was, wait for it, the face of Darth Vader, and his bedsheets where not what she expected. The heavy cover was black, but the sheets had little smiley faces, and hearts.

He cursed under his breath.

“I didn’t find new clean sheets. Mine, I couldn’t find them.” 

“I had this exact same sheets when I was in my pre-teens. Lizzie McGuire!” Anne laughed.

Richard wanted to kill himself. Anne was laughing now, and making fun of his puppy cocker spaniel Animal Planet poster. He was fond of that poster. In fact, it was the background of his computer.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” Anne asked.

“A little.” He admitted.

Anne pulled him towards her and kissed him. They just kissed. They only kissed. Nothing else happened that night.

* * *

During the morning, Anne found herself being the big spoon while Richard was the small one. He had her hands inside of his, and when she tried to escape from his hold, she couldn’t. Richard switched positions, he was now the big spoon and Anne was facing him.

“Are you my girlfriend now?” He asked her.

“It depends.” Anne sighed.

“On what?” Richard asked.

Anne sighed, making Richard sit up straight. Anne could feel that her cast was a little wet still. The clothes that she had borrowed from him were to big for her, and when he sat, she catched him looking at the shadow of her breasts with his mouth open as if he was hysponotized by them, or the month old memory of them.

“That!”

Richard bit his lips and leaned towards hers to kiss her, but she pushed him away.

“I was just going to kiss you, and promise you that we could take it slow.”

“Could? We play each other like if it was some pleasurable game, Richard. I don’t– I cannot do that. I have seen my friends getting hurt because of those games.”

“Then be my girlfriend.” Richard said, “I know that we have a weird relationship, and that we skipped the courting part and went straight to the sex.”

“It was not like that.” Anne said.

“What do you mean?” Richard asked.

“You– Our sex that night, I liked it.”

“So did I.”

“I want more than that.” Anne said, “I don’t date casually. I am not like you. You have had how many flings this semester only?”

“Have you keeping tabs on me, Anne?” Richard asked teasing her, but it only make Anne angry, and she pushed him away.

“I was joking.”

“You take everything that I say as a joke.” Anne complain, making Richard roll his eyes.

“You know what is the problem here?” Richard asked as he stood up, “You are too damn stubborn. You do not led your guard down. You asume the worst of people. Yes, I joke. I live my life teasing and joke it. Let your guard down around me, Anne. I mean no harm.”

Anne did not say a word.

“Let me love you.”  Richard said, "I may be cruel sometimes to people but the days of me being cruel towards you are far gone. Last night you were so lovely and so gentle, I thought that we were past that– that phase."

The only person she had talked about it was Isabel, and Isabel had managed to keep that as a secret, which had really surprised her.

One of the reasons she avoided relationships was because she had to disclose her past. She was not abused or anything, but she got her heart break. She fell in love a few years before graduating and starting college. She fell madly in love. She gave herself to him. Then, a few months after feeling in heaven, he started to feel sick. He had an illness that was so rare, that it did not had a name yet. Anne stayed by him for a long time, but he knew that he was tying her down and that if she kept staying by his side she would not be the amazing doctor that she wanted to be.

Anne was not ready to say that to him. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got to write this chapter. I am so relieved.


End file.
